Shan Yu's Victory
by lightbird
Summary: [AU] [TAKE NOTE OF THE RATING, THIS IS A DARKER FIC WHICH DEALS WITH THE ISSUE OF RAPE, STOCKHOLM SYNDROME AND OTHER ADULT THEMES] Mulan left the Tung Shao Pass before Shan Yu & his men climbed out of the snow. The rest of the Hun army arrived and Shan Yu is in power. Part 1 finished, Part 2 to be a separate story. [COMPLETE]
1. Departure

Disclaimer: Characters, dialogue, etc. from the Disney movie belongs to Disney. Everything else is mine.

Summary: (AU) Alternate ending to the first Disney movie. This story begins after Mulan has been revealed and Shang and the others have left her there, then follows what events would have happened if Mulan had left the Tung Shao Pass for home _before_ Shan-Yu and his men popped out of the snow.

**xxxxxxx**

**Shan-Yu's Victory by lightbird**

**Chapter 1: Departure**

Mulan sighed and picked up her father's helmet that she'd thrown aside in her grief and frustration earlier.

"Well, I have to face my father sooner or later. Let's go home."

"Yeah, but this won't be pretty," Mushu grumbled. Then his voice softened. "Still, we started this thing together. And that's how we'll finish it. I promise."

He hopped up and hugged her. She managed a wan smile, then stood up and gathered her father's helmet and the rest of her things. She got everything packed and loaded on Khan's back, then slipped her father's sword into its sheath.

She sighed and left Khan for a minute, walking to the edge of the cliff and staring down at the valley below. They had all almost died down there, a small band of foot soldiers facing an army of Huns on horseback that charged toward them from three sides. If she hadn't pulled the stunt she had, swiping the cannon, firing it at the cliff and causing the avalanche that buried the Hun army, they would have all been killed. And no one would have ever known about her. She would have been left slaughtered on the snow with the rest of her troop, like the rest of the Imperial Army.

She had no regrets. Shang was alive. The three soldiers that had become her friends were alive. She was grateful for that. And the Hun army had been stopped. The Emperor would be safe.

She was a woman and would never get the credit for anything – rather, news would get out of her revealing and she would be dishonored. But she was certain that she had done the right thing. China was safe now.

She would wait until night to enter her village, would remain unseen. No one in town need know she had been gone. She was positive that her family would have kept this a secret. Her father was living reclusively now no doubt, so no one would know he was at home and hadn't reported to camp.

She turned away from the valley and strode back to Khan, mounting him in one swift, fluid motion. She glanced down toward the Imperial City. Even from all the way up in the Tung Shao Pass the brightly lit city shone in the night, clearly visible. Shang and the others would be there already, celebrating the victory of China against Shan-Yu, she thought, a faint ache in her heart.

She suppressed it and turned Khan around toward home.

Mulan was long gone when a grey falcon went soaring through the valley, its sharp eye surveying the snow. He let out a sharp screech as he caught the scent of his master, alive.

A large muscular arm punched through the snow and Shan-Yu lifted himself up, climbing up from under the snow that had buried him. His anguished, bestial roar echoed through the valley. He lifted himself to standing, wielding his prized sword that had miraculously stayed in his hand when he was overwhelmed by the blanket of snow, and his faithful falcon swooped down, coming to rest on his shoulder. Several other arms, legs and heads pushed through the snow, and slowly the ten men that had survived climbed and clawed their way out of the snow drifts, then came to stand by their leader.

Shan-Yu moved toward the edge of the cliff, his men following. The lights of the Imperial City were visible from there and he surveyed the scene. The Emperor would be organizing a victory parade and a ceremony to honor the soldiers. That would take a day, and the parade would be the next night. They had to move quickly so they could arrive in the city, scope out the situation and come up with a plan.

It was not over yet.

He gestured to his men and they nodded their understanding. They all moved forward swiftly, headed for the Imperial City.

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: This is just an idea I had so I decided to go with it and get it written down. Let me know what you think. Like? Hate?


	2. Reinforcements

A/N: This is a revised Chapter 2 and newly added Chapter 3. I thought Chapter 2 was too short and decided to add to it. Rating is up for future additions to the story, just in case. Thanks to all for reading and reviewing.

**xxxxxxx **

**Chapter 2: Reinforcements**

In the Imperial City Captain Li Shang and his small troop rammed a large statue against the front doors to the palace, now under siege by Shan-Yu and his men.

Shang couldn't believe that Shan-Yu and his men had survived after being buried by the avalanche in the Tung Shao Pass. Not only that, they had slipped into the city unseen and had abducted the Emperor right out from under his nose.

He grunted in anger as he continued exerting himself with the others. The last couple of days had been lousy. He felt miserable and tired. He had lost his father. He had seen the elite troops of the Chinese army slaughtered. And he felt like he had completely failed in his duty. Then, on top of everything, there was the incident with _that girl_.

Was he the biggest fool on earth? First he let her pass under his guard and didn't even figure out what she really was. Then he let the Emperor get kidnapped right in front of him. Some commanding officer he was.

She was the one who had saved _his_ life, all of their lives. A mere girl. Was that what the Chinese army was reduced to, what he was reduced to? It was _her_ plan that had defeated the Hun army. It had been _her_ victory; that is, when they believed it to be a victory. Of course, the plan hadn't entirely worked, obviously.

A dent was beginning to form in the doors but they were nowhere near breaking them in and they were running out of time. There was a good chance that the Emperor was already dead. Shan-Yu wasn't a man of restraint.

On the balcony overlooking the square Shan-Yu held his sword at the Emperor's throat, the blade poised across his neck.

"Your walls and armies have fallen, old man. And now it's your turn. Bow to me!"

The Emperor stared straight ahead, stubbornly, his face serene.

"No matter how the wind howls, the mountain cannot bow to it," he answered simply.

Shan-Yu's fury was sparked by the insolence of the pompous old man and he raised his sword, prepared to strike.

"Then you will kneel in pieces!"

"Shan-Yu!" the tall, thin archer called out from his post at the entrance to the balcony. Shan-Yu's sword paused in mid air and the archer moved forward.

"We should wait to kill him. We are only a small group and there are Imperial soldiers here, trying to stop us. They will not want to harm _him_, however. He is our leverage. There will be plenty of time to teach this insolent old man a lesson. For now, we should keep him as a hostage, until our reinforcements get here."

Shan-Yu lowered his sword and let out a furious yowl. Then he gritted his teeth and nodded.

"Bind his hands and feet, Batu," he snarled, his golden eyes gleaming. "It won't be long before Boke shows up with the other half of the Hun army."

Batu motioned to the other guard posted at the entrance and told him to get some rope.

To the east of the Imperial City, Mulan descended the mountains. She stopped her horse Khan and dismounted, clutching her abdomen. The painkiller that the medic had given her had worn off and her wound was sore. She sat on the ground and lifted her tunic, inspecting the bandage. It was clean, no blood seeping through at all.

"You're not bleeding," Mushu told her, inspecting the bandage as well. "You just need to rest and not push yourself. Maybe we should stop somewhere for the night."

"I'm anxious to get home. The faster I get facing my father over with the better. And I still have a long way to go."

Mulan frowned, pondering her options.

"There's a village up ahead that we passed through on the way to the front."

Mulan remained deep in thought for a few minutes.

"Alright," she finally spoke up. "I'll stop in the village and see if I can get more painkillers there. Then I'll rest over night."

"Good," Mushu commented. "Cause I'm not anxious to face the ancestors."

Mulan mounted Khan and rode quickly toward the village.

To the north of the Imperial City, Shan-Yu's grey falcon swiftly flew toward the camp of Boke, just over the northern border, a message from his master to Boke tied to his leg.

**xxxxxxx**

The doors to the palace were finally broken in and Shang and his small troop lowered the statue to the ground. Shang dashed into the palace, his sword drawn, unaware if any of his troops followed him.

He knew that the Huns were holding the Emperor on the balcony overlooking the square, and Shang's only thought was to get to him and save him, or die trying. He didn't care if he died at this point; it would at least be an honorable death.

He followed the sound of Shan-Yu's deep, rumbling laughter and found him standing at the entrance leading up to the balcony, his sword drawn, waiting for him. Though Shang was large, with a broad frame, the Hun leader towered over him.

Shan-Yu grinned wolfishly at the sight of his adversary and the small group of men that followed him. He raised his arm and with a swift, silent hand gesture signaled his men to step out from behind the columns, each of them covering one man from the Imperial troop.

He grinned smugly as he scanned the faces of the men that stood behind the Imperial troop's commanding officer, not seeing the face he was looking for.

"You appear to be missing a man," Shan-Yu rumbled in his husky bass voice.

The Imperial officer lunged toward him and Shan-Yu intercepted his blow with his own sword.

**xxxxxxx**

"Now what?" Ling asked his two friends as they remained hidden in some concubine's room that they had ducked into after seeing their captain and fellow troop members get captured by the Huns.

"We need to get help," Yao growled at his friend's inane question. "Now they have the Emperor, _and_ Pretty Boy and the rest of them."

Chien-Po was shaking his head, sadly. "It was very foolish of the captain to just go running in like that, with no plan," he commented, his voice soft. "I think that he wanted to die."

"Ahh, who cares about him? He can rot in hell after what he did to Ping."

"_Mulan_," Ling corrected his friend, shoving him.

Yao went to sock him, but Chien-Po stepped in quickly and held both of his friends apart before they made a ruckus and gave their presence away.

"I say we go back and try to find Mulan," said Ling. "She would come up with a plan."

"She's probably gone by now," Chien-Po answered. "At least I hope she left the pass. It was very cold there."

"Well, we can try."

"What about all those guys in the Imperial Square? None of them lifted a finger to help - they just stood around watching. Bunch of chickens," Yao muttered.

"I'll see if the hallway is clear. Then we can get out of here," Ling told them, opening the door a crack and peering out.

They could hear the sound of Shan-Yu's laughter, but it was coming from behind one of the doors. The hallway was clear, save for two guards standing outside that door. He reported this to his two friends and Yao waved his hand, dismissively.

"Forget it. We're running out of time to wait. Let's just climb out the window."

There was a table near the window and Yao took the covers and other linens from the bed and began to tie them up into a long rope. He secured one end around the leg of the nearby table and dropped the make-shift rope over the ledge. He tugged on it to test its sturdiness.

"I hope it will hold," Ling commented, grinning at Chien-Po. "You better go last."


	3. The Missing Soldier

**Chapter 3: The Missing Soldier**

The din of conversation in the tavern ceased as if it had been cut off with a sword and the men and women in the room turned to stare at the strange, skinny young girl that had nervously walked in. She was dressed in a soldier's trousers and tunic and army boots, and her loose hair was worn short, coming down just to her shoulders, rather than down her back like other women. She looked sick. Her cheeks were flushed red and her eyes were glassy, a feverish glaze in them. There was a large splotch of dried blood on the man's tunic that she wore.

The girl stood frozen, just as stunned as everyone else for a couple of minutes, then she pushed her hair out of her eyes and spoke up bravely. "Can someone help me? I need a medic."

The stunned silence still hung in the air as the crowd in the tavern gawked at this oddity of a girl who was dressed like a man.

The woman working that evening stepped out from behind the bar and walked over to the girl.

"I'm Bi. Come with me. You can lie down on one of the couches upstairs and I will get the medic for you."

"Thank you," the girl answered.

Bi led her upstairs. "What's your name?"

"Mulan."

"What happened to you, Mulan? Why are you dressed like a soldier?"

The girl didn't answer for a long time. Bi looked at her questioningly. Finally she spoke up, her voice steady and expressionless.

"My village was destroyed by the Huns. I am the only one that wasn't killed. But I was wounded and my clothes were torn to shreds. An Imperial troop came to the village after the Huns were gone. They treated my wound and gave me clothes to wear. Unfortunately, this was all they had. And my wound bled all over it."

Bi gestured to one of the couches in the main sitting room and told her to go ahead and lie down.

"I'll bring the medic here."

Bi turned and hurried down the stairs.

Mulan eased herself down on one of the plush, velvet red couches and looked around the dimly-lit room. It was immediately to the left at the top of the stairs, then there were closed doors on all sides of the room, probably leading to bedrooms.

She had an odd feeling as she looked over her surroundings and smelled the scent of the room. For a simple village tavern, the upstairs area was decorated quite lavishly. The couches were velvet and piled with cushions and the upstairs room smelled like incense.

Mushu poked his head out from her sleeve. "What kind of place is this?"

"I don't know. I guess it's an inn."

"This is like no inn I've ever seen. Or smelled."

They cut off their conversation at the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs and Mushu ducked his head back into her sleeve.

Bi disappeared through one of the doors off of the room as the medic tended to Mulan. He put his hand to her forehead and checked for fever. He frowned, then removed his hand from her head and took off the grey bandage wrapped around her body, inspecting her wound. Satisfied with the way it looked he covered it with a fresh bandage. He told her that the stitches were intact and that the wound would heal nicely as long as she rested.

"You will have a scar, but it won't be that bad. The man who stitched the wound did a good job."

"I'm in a lot of pain."

"Yes, the area will be sore for a few days. I will give you some opium for tonight and a supply for the next few nights so that you are able to sleep."

"Thank you."

Bi stepped out of the room that she had gone to, holding a green, blue and white dress. The medic said something to her softly, then left.

Bi handed the dress to Mulan.

"Here. You can wear this."

"Oh…thank you. That wasn't necessary."

"You don't want to have to walk around in a bloody soldier's uniform."

"Thank you."

"You can stay in that room for the night," she told her, pointing.

"Oh, thank you, I need to go…"

"The doctor said that you should rest and not travel until you are healed."

"Well, thank you for the dress. I'll go in there to change."

Mulan disappeared into the room with the dress and her supply of opium and shut the door. Mushu immediately hopped out and inspected the room, keeping his back to her as she changed into the dress that Bi had given her.

"What do you think, Mushu? I wasn't planning to stay in town. I was going to camp out in the woods and head home in the morning."

"The doctor said you should stay put. Still…I don't know about this place."

Mulan finished tying the sash to the dress and rolled her trousers and tunic up into a ball, then took a good look at the room she was in. The bed in the room was huge and was decorated in the same deep red color as the outer room. Though there was no incense lit, only candles, the scent of incense still hung in the air from an earlier time.

"What is that smell? It smells nothing like the incense we light in the temple."

"It's amber. I told you this is no ordinary inn," Mushu said. He was about to say something else but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Yes?" Mulan called out as Mushu hopped up and disappeared inside her sleeve again.

Bi opened the door. "Oh, you look much better like that."

"Thank you for the dress, and for offering the room for the night. But I don't have any money. I really must leave."

"Don't worry about the money."

Bi caught the look of alarm that crossed Mulan's face and laughed.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to put you to work here. I can see you're not the type."


	4. Waiting

A/N: Many thanks to all who have been reading and reviewing. Another chapter up. I realize the story is moving slowly now, but it will pick up.

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 4: Waiting**

Mulan's head was on fire when she opened her eyes. She was lying on the bed in the dark room that Bi had sent her to, the incense smell still in the air, the odor making her head buzz. She had the taste of sickness in her mouth. She swallowed with unexpected difficulty, stiffening at the excruciating pain that came with the swallow. She cursed. She wouldn't be able to travel now and she had wanted to leave first thing in the morning.

"Mushu?" she croaked, trying to speak from below the pain.

"What's wrong, baby?"

"I'm sick."

The small red dragon hopped up and felt her head. "You have a high fever."

"Shit. I need to get out of here," she muttered.

"You can't go anywhere. Not like this. And where did you learn those words? Yao?"

The door to the room suddenly flew open and a woman came in, leading a man along. They both stopped when they saw Mulan and gaped at Mushu.

"What?" Mushu demanded, defiantly.

"Wrong room. Sorry," the woman finally said, turning to lead the man out.

"What the hell is that thing?" the man was exclaiming as the woman pulled him out of the room and shut the door.

There was a knock on the door several minutes later and Mulan called out, wishing she hadn't.

Bi stepped into the room and looked around suspiciously. Her gaze fell on Mulan.

"You look really sick. I'll get the medic again."

She brought him in a while later. As he tended to Mulan, administering tea and some other medicinal concoctions, Bi stood back, inspecting the room again and looking for the so-called magical tiny red talking lizard that Tao and Jia had been going on about.

She shook her head. Tao drank too much, and could have easily been seeing things. But Jia was one of her best girls and very level-headed. And there _was_ something odd about this girl. She suspected that Mulan wasn't at all what she seemed, and she had doubts about the story that she had told her about where she came from.

**xxxxxxx**

Shang opened his eyes, waking from complete darkness.

His mind registered that he was sitting on the floor, his knees bent up toward his chest, his head slumped forward, and his hands and feet bound tightly.

He lifted his head, which was throbbing, and looked around. He was in the hallway of the palace, alone, his back against the double doors that led to the balcony. He wriggled his wrists, attempting to loosen the rope with his movements. After several minutes of struggling he gave up, exhausted, his wrists sore from the friction, his head pounding now.

He remembered the fight with Shan-Yu. He had managed to disarm him, knocking his sword away. But the massive Hun was powerful and, despite his great size, extremely agile and he had dodged Shang's sword thrusts with ease, ramming into him with such force that Shang crashed to the floor, his own sword flying out of his grip.

They had fought hand to hand then, rolling over and over each other, wrestling wildly. It had taken all of Shang's strength just to defend himself against Shan-Yu. The Hun leader was a fierce warrior and much more experienced in combat than he.

He was suddenly aware of the sting of the cuts and bruises on his face and lips as he remembered Shan-Yu's blows. He hadn't noticed them at first, the pain in his head was so overpowering.

The last thing he remembered was something slamming into his forehead. He wished he could free his hands if only just to press them against his head and try to ease the pounding. But he hadn't been able to loosen the rope at all.

"Ah, you're awake," the deep, smoky voice came from his right. Shan-Yu stopped in front of him.

"You didn't kill me," Shang stated, puzzled. He couldn't fathom that this wild barbarian, who had slaughtered an entire village of innocent civilians and children as well as the elite regiment of the Imperial army that had included his father, was sparing his life.

'He must need something from me,' he thought.

"That would have been a waste," his adversary answered. "You are an excellent warrior, Commander, and a brave, honorable man. A man like you would be highly valued in my troop."

"I would never join your troop."

"Yes. Unfortunate that we are on different sides. We are very much alike. Both of us true warriors."

"I am nothing like you," he answered, disdainfully.

Shan-Yu grinned in amusement.

"What do you want with me?" Shang demanded. "Where is the Emperor?"

"He's alive. For now."

"Where are my men?"

"There is a soldier missing from your troop. I am very interested in that one. He didn't come into the palace with you. But if you are as wise a military strategist as I think, Commander, I assume that he stayed behind for a reason. And will be coming at a later time to implement some plan. I'm waiting for him. We have a score to settle."

Shang stared at him in confusion.

"I will be back shortly with my men. We'll take you somewhere secure and then we can untie you. I don't want you to be uncomfortable during your…stay."

Shan-Yu left him and Shang pondered the conversation he had just had. He was stunned that the Hun leader didn't want to kill him, or his men. He had been prepared to die; maybe even hoping for it.

And what was he talking about a missing soldier? Shang wracked his brain, thinking of his men that had followed him. Yao, Ling and Chien-Po had been conspicuously absent. Was he talking about one of them? They hadn't been anywhere near Shan-Yu, and he had no idea where the three of them had gone to now. The only one in his troop that got close to Shan-Yu was…_Mulan_.

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: More to follow shortly. Please review and let me know what you think.


	5. The Woman Mulan

A/N: Chapter 5 up! Thank you all again for reading and reviewing. I appreciate all who have taken the time to read my story.

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 5: The Woman Mulan**

Shan-Yu's master archer Batu was stationed at the ledge of the balcony, watching over the side, his bow and arrow easily accessible in the event that someone foolishly thought they could try to scale the wall of the palace from the square and climb up to rescue the bound Emperor. He listened as his leader spoke to the old man again, his tone threatening but low, almost teasing. He spoke slowly, letting each word sink in so that the Emperor would have no doubt that he was beaten. Though his back was to him, he knew Shan-Yu was circling the Emperor, like a hawk preparing to descend on its prey.

His friend and leader could be reckless at times, especially when his fury got the better of him. He knew Shan-Yu had a score to settle. Something had happened. He didn't know the details, but somehow there was a link between the great Hun warlord and this Emperor, whether it was by blood or something else he didn't know. He would never ask. It was personal and his leader had never spoken of it.

But he was always willing to listen to Batu's advice. Sometimes he took it. When they knew that the Imperial Army was waiting at the Tung Shao Pass for them, he had advised caution, telling Shan-Yu that they could easily avoid them. But Shan-Yu didn't want to avoid them; in fact, he rarely chose the cautious method. They had defeated the Imperial Army there and the general that Shan-Yu had referred to as 'arrogant, just like his Emperor'.

"Did you really think your _Great Wall_ could stop us, old man?" he was saying to the Emperor now. "The rest of my army is on the way here, and they will have no problem getting over your wall, any more than we did. With your army destroyed, no one can stop us now."

**xxxxxxx**

Mulan found herself drenched in sweat, tears streaming down her face when she became conscious. She opened her eyes as she felt something cool and damp placed on her forehead and found Bi sitting beside her, bathing her face.

"Are you alright?"

Mulan merely nodded. Her throat felt too dry to speak and she had a headache. After getting through all of Shang's training and her experience in battle she had hoped her body would be stronger, more resilient than this. She had no recollection of ever being this sick, even with the worst illnesses she had as a child.

"You were…you seemed to be having a bad dream."

She closed her eyes, not answering. She knew Bi had seen her tears and was somewhat embarrassed.

"Well, at least your fever broke now. Dr. Kong will be here this afternoon to check on you. There's a cup and some water for you to drink." She gestured to the bedside table.

"Thank you," she rasped.

When Bi left the room, Mushu crawled out from under her pillow to talk to her.

"You were crying and mumbling in your sleep."

"What did I say?"

"Nothing coherent. I can guess what your nightmare was about though."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Don't worry, baby. The bad dreams will stop eventually."

She didn't answer him. They would never stop. The images were too vivid and too burned into her brain; the image of Shang standing over her with her father's sword, the look of wrath and pure hatred of her that contorted his handsome features. His dark eyes were cold, piercing, and she could see the brutality in them; how capable and willing he had been to strike her down. She had no doubt that he was going to kill her; she could see it in his eyes. He had chosen not to, and she still didn't really know why.

His face had turned to stone after he dropped the sword and his words were terse and toneless. _A life for a life. My debt is repaid._

She had been left with her ultimate dishonor and he had gone off with the rest of the troop to celebrate their victory. She remembered the moment that Chi-Fu yanked her out of the tent half-naked and threw her down in the snow for all to see; her face burned with humiliation as she thought of it, as if she were living through it again. She had been so exposed, so vulnerable. She had no top on; just the bandage wrapped around her breasts and the thin blanket clutched against the front of her body to hide her nakedness. She supposed she deserved it; she'd gone where she didn't belong.

She had worked so hard to earn the respect of her captain and the others. She never imagined that Shang would ever return the attraction she had toward him; after all, he had only known her as a boy soldier. But at least she'd had his respect and, to a certain degree, his friendship and trust. Now she was someone who had lied to him and betrayed him.

She had screwed up everything. She had dishonored her father twice in one day. She had gone to fight in his place, wanting to make up for it, hoping to prove herself and failing miserably.

"Shit!" she muttered as the tears began to stream down her cheeks again.

**xxxxxxx**

Shan-Yu and his men had left Shang in the locked room without a word. He was a prisoner; but at least they had untied his feet and his hands from behind his back so he would be comfortable and able to eat; and they had brought him to a room rather than a prison cell.

He rubbed his wrists, trying to bring the circulation back, then sat on the bed in the room, leaning down to do the same with his ankles. He straightened up again and took a closer look at his surroundings. The room was windowless, so the only way out was through the door and past the guards.

He didn't understand why they were treating him so well. From what his father had always told him about the Huns, this was odd behavior for them. He was sure that they wanted something from him. Maybe they were planning on torturing him. But what were they waiting for? They hadn't even asked him any questions.

He sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and supporting his head in his hands. He knew that Shan-Yu was waiting for a missing soldier and that he was talking about Ping.

He would be waiting forever, Shang thought, ironically. There was no Ping and that soldier was no soldier. She was a dishonorable and dishonored woman named Mulan that should have never been there in the first place, and she would never be coming there.

Only deep in his heart he knew that she _was_ a soldier and had proven herself as one, as unbelievable as that was. She had lied to him, had dishonored the Imperial Army and had made a complete fool out of him, stirring up in him his own fear of his inability to command. Though he was ashamed to admit it, he knew that she was a better strategist and she had more courage than him. She had saved them by executing a brilliant, courageous tactic _without his permission_, disobeying him in truth, but it had been the right thing to do. And that had been alright with him when he thought that she was Ping, a man. Knowing what she really was, it disturbed and confused him now, and he felt bitter resentment toward her.

He considered her to be as much his enemy as Shan-Yu, and if he ever by some odd chance saw her again he knew that anger and bitterness toward her would still be there. But the truth was he was more livid at himself than at her, angry and disgusted with his own failure and ineptness.

She was on her way home, if she hadn't frozen to death. A tinge of guilt rose in him as that thought came to his mind but he suppressed it.

He hadn't been able to execute her, to carry out the Emperor's law and fulfill his duty. If it hadn't been for the Huns showing up there, who knew what the Emperor might have done to him when he found out. The thing was she _had_ saved their lives. How could he execute her after that? Taught the ways of the warrior from the time he was a small boy, the concepts of honor, justice and loyalty had been ingrained into him. And there was no justice or honor in murdering an innocent girl, and one who had put the lives of her captain and the others, and her country, before her own. She had saved his life; so he gave Mulan her life in return. _A life for a life._

If his father's army hadn't been decimated, Shang would have met him in that village, with his troop. He wondered if his father would have known instantly that Ping wasn't a man, seen what he hadn't been able to see. Probably. Would he have been proud to see how well Shang had trained the inept recruits that had been brawling in the camp when he left Wu Zhong?

The general never got to see Shang's success. The grief weighed on his heart as he thought about that now. And he wondered if his father had even thought him worthy of the rank. His father had been arrogant, not just proud. Shang knew that. The general had given the rank to his son as a boost to his own ego, to show himself off; to show that not only was he a great general, but his own son was already a captain and on his way to greatness too. Though Shang had always been confident in himself as a skilled and courageous warrior, he had serious doubts about his command abilities. Would he have ever been made a captain if his father wasn't a general, and a highly trusted one?

_For what it's worth, I think you're a great captain._ He sighed, remembering those words. Great, the woman in the camp thought he was a great captain.

Shang raised himself up and sighed again, shaking off the regret and foolish self-doubt and self-pity. There were more important things to concentrate on. He didn't know where the rest of his small group of men was, or if they were even still alive. Yao, Ling and Chien-Po seemed to have completely disappeared. Had they actually gone and deserted?

Well, he didn't want to fight anymore either. The naïve dreams of glory in battle that he had just a few months before were now gone, replaced with an all too deep understanding of the brutality and ugliness of war. He wanted to just sleep and never see Huns or the army again. But he couldn't. The Emperor was being held somewhere and he had to somehow figure out a way to escape from this room and save him. He failed the first time, but he had to try again.

**xxxxxxx**

Bi ushered the odd trio of Imperial soldiers to a table and took their order. It was late in the afternoon, not quite time for dinner, and the tavern was empty so she was working the bar alone.

She poured drinks for the three men and made casual conversation, trying to feel out if they were interested in anything else there other than drinking. They had merely stopped to rest and quench their thirst and as she listened to them converse, she inferred that they were trying to find someone.

It was hard to believe these three men were Imperial soldiers, despite their uniforms and armor. The large one, Chien-Po, seemed too gentle and serene to be a soldier, but she supposed he was probably strong given his size. The skinny one, Ling, didn't seem serious enough. But he was friendly and likeable. It was hard to tell with the third one, Yao. He was short and squat, somewhat rough-looking with a beauty of a black eye and a moustache and beard. He certainly seemed to like a fight, judging by how he egged on his pal Ling during their entire discussion. It was a good thing that there wasn't a crowd there; she imagined she would have a brawl on her hands.

"Ping lives in Wan County," Yao was saying now in his gruff husky voice.

"_Mulan_," Ling responded with annoyance, elbowing his friend.

Bi started at that. "Mulan?"

The three soldiers whirled around to face her.

"You know her?" Ling asked.

"There is a girl named Mulan here. She came here a couple of nights ago."

"Wow, that was easy," Yao remarked.

"Would you tell her that we're here?"

"Sure. We made her stay because she's ill. She has a throat infection, so the medic in town has been looking after her. Who is she?"

"She's…a friend of ours," Ling answered, glancing at his two friends.

"She's sick from being out in the cold," Bi heard Chien-Po murmur softly as she headed toward the stairs.

"Yeah, thanks to Pretty Boy," Yao muttered angrily. "After she saved everyone…"

"Well, at least he didn't kill her."

"Still...the way he let that scum Chi Fu treat her..."

"He _is_ the Emperor's council," Ling remarked snidely. "That's what he always said. Anyway, we were mean, too. We played mean tricks on her."

"But that was before we knew she was a woman."

Bi was paused at the bottom of the stairs, wanting to hear the rest of this conversation. But the three men had fallen silent suddenly, maybe knowing she was there, so she began to quietly climb the stairs to get Mulan.

**xxxxxxx**

Boke and a few of his men had silently and stealthily made it to the top of the Great Wall before the others, knocking out the guard stationed at that tower before he knew they were there and preventing him from lighting the signal fire, warning the others of their presence. With the rest of the guard towers remaining unlit along the wall as well, the remainder of Boke's army had scaled the wall in the dark with great ease.

Now they rode swiftly through the night toward the Tung Shao Pass, as Shan-Yu had advised in his message. The falcon was on his way back to his master, a response from Boke tied to his leg, announcing that they had gotten past the Great Wall and would reach the Imperial City in just three days. No one spoke. Boke communicated to his troop with silent hand gestures, and the only sound in the night was their horses' hooves pounding the ground. They ate on horseback, not wanting to lose time, stopping only for short bouts of sleep.

The Imperial Army protecting the area of China to the north of the capital had been defeated by Shan-Yu, and no one intercepted them as they thundered toward their destination. Apart from their allies in the Imperial palace no one in China was expecting them.

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: More to follow shortly. Please review and let me know what you think. Thanks!


	6. Reunion

A/N: Thanks to all for the reviews. The story is developing slowly but it's getting there.

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 6: Reunion**

Mulan called out in response to the knock on the door. Bi opened it and stepped into the room.

"Good, you're awake. You look much better."

"I'm feeling better. Thank you for everything. You've been very kind."

"It was nothing. There are three soldiers downstairs who say that they know you. They want to see you. Ling, Yao…"

"They're here now?"

Bi nodded. "I'll go and let them know you're on your way down."

She exited the room and Mulan eased herself out of bed, still a bit too spent from her illness to jump for joy as she felt like doing. She put the dress that Bi had given her on and hastily ran a comb through her hair, noticing in the mirror how unkempt and ragged she appeared.

She grinned as her three friends leaped up out of their chairs and rushed over when they saw her. Ling caught her up in a hug. As Yao stood by and waited his turn, Chien-Po grabbed all three of them, embracing them in one big bear hug. Mulan giggled for the first time in what seemed a long while.

The embrace was released and they stood back from each other.

"Ping, you clean up nice," Ling teased in surprise, winking at her.

"_Mulan_," Yao growled, elbowing him.

"I know," Ling retorted, shoving his friend in return. "I was joking with her."

Mulan beamed at them, delighted that they still considered her a friend despite her recently discovered masquerade. "I'm so glad to see you guys!"

The three soldiers were suddenly speaking at once, and she gazed from one to the other, trying to take in everything they were saying.

"We're glad to see you, too..."

"We've been looking for you..."

"We heard that you're sick. You look a little pale still..."

"Shan-Yu survived."

"What?" she exclaimed with a start.

Ling nodded. "And a bunch of his men. They have the palace under siege and they're holding the Emperor."

"Yeah, and they captured Pretty Boy and the rest of 'em."

It had always amused Mulan when Yao called Shang 'Pretty Boy', but she didn't laugh now. She feared for his life, and the mere reference to him stirred the same faint ache in her heart.

"He just ran in and got himself captured," Chien-Po was saying. "He had no plan, and he didn't even try to ask for anyone's help."

"Damn fool," Yao muttered.

Mulan frowned, puzzled. It didn't sound like Shang. Not that she knew him so well, but she knew he was smarter than that. He wasn't someone who acted recklessly or foolishly.

"How many Hun soldiers are there?"

"Ten besides Shan-Yu."

"What about our troops?"

"Less without the three of us."

"We fell behind and hid in one of the rooms so we could get away and come up with a plan."

"Yeah, no sense in _all_ of us getting captured."

"Is the Emperor still alive?"

The three of them shrugged.

"He was when we left the palace."

"You came looking for me…" she began, questioningly. "I'm not part of the troop anymore."

"We think you are," said Ling.

"Yeah, you saved all of our hides."

"Especially the captain's."

"You're our comrade in arms. And we figured if anyone could help us come up with a plan it would be you," Ling added.

Mulan felt her face flush with pride at their confidence and trust in her.

They sat down together at the table. Bi was behind the bar, watching the four of them, her expression a mixture of bewilderment and suspicion.

Mulan glanced at her, realizing that she was wondering at the fact that she, a woman, was being referred to by these men as part of their troop and was now discussing military strategy with them. She brushed it off. Bi certainly seemed to be the nosiest person she had ever met. But she would deal with her later.

Right now, they had to come up with a plan to infiltrate the palace and rescue their Emperor.

**xxxxxxx**

Shan-Yu frowned as he stood on the balcony, body taut, feet firmly planted, watching the sky for his falcon and ignoring his highly valuable prisoner for now. The wind had picked up and dark clouds had begun to swirl in the sky overhead. As he sniffed the air the scent of the oncoming rain hit his nostrils. Depending on how severe the storm was, that would affect the speed at which Boke made it there. He cursed under his breath. He hated delays.

The grey falcon swooped down to the balcony several minutes later, coming to rest on the ledge in front of his master. Shan-Yu patted the sleek grey head of his bird then untied the message from Boke and grinned as he read it, his confidence in his pending victory confirmed. The storm would slow them down; but the rest of the Hun army had made it past the Great Wall. They knew how to handle themselves against any of the elements and by this time they would be on higher ground and not at risk from any flooding that might occur from heavy rains.

He turned to his prisoner. The old man stared straight ahead, his face calm and serene despite his predicament. It infuriated Shan-Yu that the man was still so arrogant; but he had to admire what a tough old bird the Emperor was. He decided against gloating over the fact that his army was on the way. The old man would find out soon enough, as would his people.

**xxxxxxx**

The tavern was still empty a couple of hours later because of the heavy, monsoon-like rains that had started pouring down. The sound of the water beating on the roof was fearsome.

Mulan sat with her three friends at the table still, all four of them greatly worried about the delay in getting to the Emperor and the others. They knew that traveling in this weather, especially at night, would be a foolish move, but feared the consequences of tarrying there for too long as well.

"It looks like the monsoon rains are starting early this year," Bi commented from her stool behind the bar. "Even if you hadn't been sick, Mulan, you should stay here until the weather calms down. We'll try to make arrangements for your three friends, too."

"Thank you. You're very kind," Mulan answered, her voice strained as she thought about how much time they would lose if they stayed overnight.

Her three friends uttered their own soft thanks.

A few of the girls that worked for Bi had come into the tavern now and they began flirting with the three soldiers. Mulan stood up and left the table, feeling uncomfortable. She noticed Bi beckoning to her from behind the bar and went over to her.

"Wait here for a minute. I need to talk to my girls for a minute, then we can go back into the kitchen and talk."

Mulan was fascinated as she watched Bi's pleasure girls in action. She knew that's what they were. Her mother had taught her about the two types of girls. There were proper, honorable young ladies who did not engage in such behavior until they were with their husbands. Pleasure girls or concubines were a different type of girl than that and their sole purpose was to pleasure men, any men. She was taught that those girls were not considered honorable.

But then again, neither was she, especially now. The only difference Mulan saw between her and these girls, other than the fact that she hadn't been with any man, was that she had always been somewhat clumsy, not delicate and graceful like them. She never had any need, or desire, to work her feminine wiles the way they did.

Being a warrior seemed to fit her more than being a woman. The fates must have made a mistake that she had been born one.

Bi gestured to the three girls at the table and Mulan somehow guessed instinctively that she was letting her workers know that these three men didn't have much money.

She returned to the bar and led Mulan back into the kitchen. Bi gestured for her to sit at the table and began to move around the kitchen, taking out pots and pans.

"Can I help you?" Mulan asked, feeling awkward just sitting there with Bi waiting on her.

"That's alright. I already have water from the well. I went and got it as soon as I saw it was going to rain."

She lit a fire to begin boiling water for rice, then sat at the table across from her.

"I hope you don't mind me prying, but I take it that somehow you were a soldier," Bi began. "You were part of their troop?"

Mulan nodded.

"How is that possible? Were you someone's…never mind…"

"My father received a conscription notice when the Huns attacked. He can no longer walk without a cane, and even with the cane, he has difficulty. There was no way he could fight. So I took his conscription notice, made myself look like a man and went in his place."

Bi was staring at her in astonishment.

"I love my father. He would have been killed for sure if he had reported. Or he would have been sent home in dishonor. He was a great warrior, and one of the Emperor's best generals. He served the Emperor for many years and he paid his due. He shouldn't have been made to go this time."

She was almost in tears as she spoke nearly the same words that she had said to her father that last night at home when they argued at the dinner table.

"That's…unbelievable," Bi murmured. "Then, you were wounded in battle."

"Yes."

Bi stood up and went to check on the water. Seeing that it was boiling she poured the rice into the kettle to cook, then returned to the table to sit with Mulan.

"You must be of the age to appear before the matchmaker, Mulan."

"I went already," she answered, blushing. "I went the day the notice came. I didn't pass the test."

Bi laughed. "You think any of us here did?"

She stopped laughing when she saw how embarrassed Mulan looked.

"My mother gave me a lucky cricket to take with me when I went," Bi began. "It escaped and I got so distracted with it hopping around I ended up pouring the tea all over the table instead of into the teacup."

She laughed at the memory and Mulan began to laugh too.

"The matchmaker told me I was the clumsiest girl she'd ever known," Bi continued. "I was really embarrassed at the time. She told me I was a dishonorable woman. But now I can laugh at it. I know I don't have the life that other women have, being taken care of by a man. But I do all right. I have money. My uncle owned this place and I took it over after he died."

"I think I have you beat," Mulan told her, laughing still. "As far as being clumsy, I mean."

Mulan recounted her own matchmaker story. Bi was in hysterics.

"You set the matchmaker on fire? Oh, that is rich!"

"You don't care that I am a dishonorable woman."

"We're all friends here. No one's better than anyone else. Some of the girls that work for me are dishonored for no other reason than they were born. Jia was the only child of her father's first wife. Jia's mother wasn't able to have any more children after her so her father took a second wife. She gave him a son and he made _her_ first wife. Jia's mother committed suicide after that and her father kicked her out, telling her that she was dishonorable. I found her wandering the streets in rags, begging for food. She was only eleven years old and had already been raped at least once. I took her in and trained her. I know it's not the ideal way for a young lady to have to live, but at least she can fend for herself now and she's not on the streets."

Mulan sat in stunned silence, realizing suddenly how lucky she was that her father was the sort of man he was. She could have easily ended up like Jia otherwise.

Bi suddenly changed the subject back to Mulan's stint in the army.

"Were you on your way home when you stopped here?"

She nodded.

"Your hair was down, though. When you came, I mean. You didn't look like a man. You looked like a woman dressed like a man."

"I was discovered when I was wounded. One of the men…tore the tie out of my hair. There didn't seem to be any point to making myself look like a man again. I was left behind when the others went to the Imperial City to tell the Emperor of our victory.

"Only there is no victory," she continued, the panic rising inside of her. "That's why we need to leave as soon as possible. Shan-Yu, the Hun leader, survived and he is in the city with some of his men that survived. They have the Emperor. That's why my friends were looking for me."

"Do you all know what you're going to do?"

"Not exactly yet. We need to get back to the Imperial City and find out exactly what the situation is. We don't know where they're holding the Emperor – or if he is even still alive."

"You really shouldn't travel in this weather, though."

"I know," Mulan answered, listening to the sound of the rain still beating down outside. The streets were probably flooded and muddy by now. "We all know that. But we're concerned about the delay."

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: More to follow shortly.


	7. New Regime

**Chapter 7: New Regime**

The rain still hadn't let up. Mulan and Ling stood at the door on the second morning since the three soldiers had arrived, waiting for Yao and Chien-Po and gazing out into the street, which was under an ankle-deep river of water.

"This is not looking good," Ling commented, indicating the steady downpour.

"I know, but we can't wait anymore."

"You've been sick, Mulan."

"I'll be fine. Besides, I haven't been out to feed Khan in over a day."

"Is he outside?"

"He's in the village corral, so he's sheltered. But I'm still worried about him."

Ling glanced back at Bi who had come to stand behind them, listening to their conversation.

"Stubborn, isn't she?" he remarked, noting Bi's expression. "She was like that in camp, too."

Mulan smirked at him. She was dressed in the bloody training tunic and trousers and the army boots again, her hair tied up in a topknot with a leather tie that Bi had given her. Her pack with her things was slung over her shoulder. She had the dress Bi had given her in there as well. She went to return it to her, but Bi had insisted that she keep it.

"You may need it, Mulan," she had said. "Don't underestimate the power you could have going in as a woman."

She'd given her a pair of small, feminine slippers as well.

"How do you propose we get anywhere, swim?" Ling asked.

"When we marched to the front we had to wade through rivers that were deeper than this water," she answered. "We can do it."

Yao and Chien-Po appeared.

"Oh, shit!" Yao exclaimed when he caught sight of the street. "How are we going to get anywhere?"

"We're going to wade through it," Ling told him. "And don't cuss in front of Mulan."

"Sorry, Mulan."

"This is going to be rough going," Chien-Po mused.

"I know, but we can't wait anymore. We've already lost at least two days."

After bidding goodbye to Bi and thanking her for her hospitality, Mulan set off for the Tung Shao Pass again with her friends.

"Mulan, I hope you don't mind me asking," Ling began once they had put distance between themselves and the village. "But how did you end up in that place? I mean, that sort of place?"

"Bi's tavern?"

He nodded.

"I was in pain and needed a medic. When I arrived at that village at night, that was the only place open. Bi was very kind to me."

"She was very nice. But still. That was no place for a girl like you."

In truth, she didn't know what place was for her, but she smiled gratefully at Ling, acknowledging his compliment and the sort of protectiveness of her that he was suddenly showing. In fact, all three of them seemed somewhat protective of her now. She didn't feel that she needed protecting, but she found it very sweet nonetheless.

The rain finally stopped but their multi-day journey remained difficult all the way.

Wading through the ankle-deep water was the least of it. Their waterlogged boots kept getting sucked into the mud that the ground underneath had become, making them work twice as hard to lift their legs as they walked.

"Mulan, this is ridiculous," Mushu muttered at one point, poking his head out from her collar. "You're drenched and you're going to get sick again."

She reached back and pushed him back down before her three friends saw him. Though she trusted them and considered them friends and comrades, she wasn't sure if she should explain Mushu to them yet.

Their supplies were saddled onto powerful Khan, and as they became more exhausted, Mulan suggested that they take turns riding on him and resting.

After several days of making their way up the slick, muddy mountain paths they found themselves faced with a more treacherous situation. The snow-covered paths in the higher altitudes now had a thin layer of ice over them, making them extremely slippery. The four of them used their swords to hack off branches from the trees and they made walking staffs to support themselves as they made their way up the mountain path with difficulty.

As they finally approached the Tung Shao Pass they immediately recognized the skeletons of the burnt-out structures that used to be the village that the Huns had attacked.

They stopped and rested at what looked like the place where Mulan had been treated for her wound…and discovered. The four of them stared down into the valley below where they'd left the Huns, buried.

"Hard to believe Shan-Yu and those men crawled out of that after we all left," Chien-Po remarked.

Having rested, the four of them continued down the mountain toward the Imperial City, all of them dreadfully uneasy as they caught a glimpse of the brightly lit capital. Though they had been expecting to see some sort of light emanating from the city they assumed it would be dim, since there would be no victory parade going on now; but it wasn't. It was as brightly lit as ever.

"This can't be good," Yao muttered. "What could possibly be going on there, that the city is lit up like for a festival?"

**xxxxxxx**

Shang raised his head, startled as he heard the inexplicable sounds outside. He wondered if he was imagining it. He was, after all, in a sealed room with no windows. How could he hear the sounds from outside of the palace? Still, it sounded like the thunder of horses' hooves and he thought he heard screaming and shouting.

He remained still for a long time, listening, trying to fathom what he was hearing. There was the sound of running and shouting in the hallway outside of his room, masking the sounds that he thought he heard outside the palace; then the sounds in the hall dissipated as quickly as they started.

He leaped up at the sudden sound of the clanking of keys outside the door and went toward the door. He pressed his back against the wall, behind where the door would open, waiting to assault whoever came in.

The two large muscle men without shirts stepped into the room. Shang remained hidden behind the door as they entered. After they had ventured further into the room and were looking about in confusion, he bolted out from behind the door and dashed out of the room, the two men turning and running after him. He found himself blocked by Shan-Yu outside the door, nearly slamming into him.

He stopped, realizing it was no use trying to fight Shan-Yu hand-to-hand. His two men were right behind him. Shang cursed inwardly. He had underestimated his enemy once again, just as he had in the Tung Shao Pass. And Shan-Yu had been expecting him to do this. He felt transparent and predictable.

Shan-Yu let out a deep, rumbling laugh. "Very impressive, Commander. I expected nothing less from you. You would have made it too, if I hadn't happened to be on my way here. Come with me. Qulan, Altan, come with us. I wouldn't want the Commander to do anything foolish."

Shang was led to the balcony overlooking the square. He noted with dismay that the Emperor was no longer there.

"Where is the Emperor?"

He was led wordlessly to the edge of the balcony and Shan-Yu gestured down to the square. Shang gasped involuntarily as he stared down at what he realized was the rest of the Hun army. Even from his distance above the square, he could see that the square and the streets of Chang'an were packed with men on horseback. The sounds that he had heard in the hallway must have been some of Shan-Yu's army entering and moving through the palace.

"I'm the Emperor, Commander."

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: The title of the chapter gave this one away, I think, lol. More to follow shortly. Please review and let me know what you think. Thanks!


	8. Plans

A/N: Many thanks to all for reading and reviewing. Chapter 8 resubmitted because I needed to fix it.

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 8: Plans**

The four soldiers were shocked as they scanned the scene the moment they arrived in the Imperial City. The city was completely overrun by the Hun army. The men were on small, dark horses rather than the white stallions typical of the Imperial army, and under their armor they were dressed in dark, rugged clothing made of leather and fur, typical attire of the Hun nomads.

None of them spoke a word of what they were thinking, that their captain and comrades were dead. There was no need; they all knew that the Huns didn't take prisoners.

They slipped off to one of the side streets, hoping it would be clear of the enemy, but found the narrow streets infiltrated with more Hun soldiers. To their great surprise they weren't harming anyone. There was none of the pillaging that they expected; the Huns just appeared to have taken over and made the city their own, their property.

There was murmuring among the throng in the streets about the death of the Emperor and that Shan-Yu was the new Emperor. The four friends looked at each other in horror and dismay on hearing that.

They had removed their armor in order to not be pegged as Imperial soldiers and they wandered through the streets, the armor stored in their packs, trying to appear nonchalant, as plain travelers. Mulan had left Khan in the forest on the outskirts of the city, near a stream. Though she was worried about him, she knew that he could find his way home if she didn't return to him, and he would have food and water where he was waiting.

They slipped around to the back of the palace unseen and Mulan stared at the columnar supports that were built around the perimeter of the palace, turning over an idea in her mind.

"What are you looking at, Mulan?" Ling asked.

"Those columns. We can climb them. The same way we climbed the pole at camp."

"It's a good idea, but what if someone sees us?"

"We're in the back. There are less people around here," Chien-Po suggested.

"Agreed," Mulan concurred, "and we can wait until the middle of the night, when no one will be around."

"Still, there will be Hun guards inside. They'll see us," Yao insisted. "And there are more of them than us."

She frowned in deep thought, not answering, thinking of Bi's words. _Don't underestimate the power you could have going in as a woman._

**xxxxxxx**

"_What?" _Yao roared.

"Shh," Ling hissed fiercely, elbowing his friend in the rib.

"Ow!"

"Guys, stop it!"

Chien-Po stepped between them, wishing to avoid the start of another brawl between his two hotheaded friends.

"I am _not_ dressing up like a girl," Yao growled, keeping his voice down now.

Ling burst into laughter, pointing at Yao. "Yeah, you would make an ugly woman. And I think the Huns will notice your beard and moustache. They're not _that_ desperate."

Yao glared at him.

"Chien-Po wouldn't be too convincing as a woman either," Mulan laughed. "And come to think of it, neither would you, Ling."

"You can't go in there alone, Mulan."

"It's the best way to get in unseen. No one will see me as a threat."

"I know, but we can't let you go by yourself. Besides, maybe they won't see you as a threat, but they might…" he trailed off.

"Besides, what will you do when you get in there? The palace is under siege. There's a mob of Hun soldiers in there."

They fell silent and the three men watched with grave expressions as Mulan took Bi's dress and slippers out of her pack and glanced around for a place to change. Defeating Shan-Yu now seemed like a lost cause; yet this mad girl pressed on, optimistically believing that somehow they could implement a plan to accomplish the impossible.

"She's going to get herself into trouble," Yao muttered, watching her go off to find a hidden place to change.

"This is a pretty desperate situation," Chien-Po responded quietly. "Maybe it's the best idea we have to work with."

"No, the best idea would be to remain alive." Yao sighed. "So, what do _we_ do? We have to help."

His two friends shrugged.

"Maybe if we could inform men in the villages and call everyone to arms…" Ling began. "If we can get a message to one village, we can ask them to pass it along and organize revolt."

Mulan reappeared many minutes later, wearing the dress and the slippers, her hair down again. Ling explained his idea to her and she nodded.

"Good idea, Ling. One of you should get back to Bi's village. She knows you. Tell her what has happened; she may know a lot of men who can help."

As soon as those words were out of her mouth, she realized that she had opened herself up to a raunchy response about Bi knowing a lot of men and she felt her face heat up with embarrassment. But the three men said nothing.

She put her soldier's clothes and boots in her pack, then handed it to Ling. "You'll have to take this for me."

"How are you going to climb the columns? We don't have the captain's bronze disks here."

Mulan held the sash from the dress in her hand and indicated it. Her friends looked at her in surprise.

**xxxxxxx**

"Set up a guard around the Imperial City. Word may have spread among the people in the villages and they may unwisely think they can start a rebellion," Shan-Yu ordered Boke and two of his men. "We will need to have a watch at all times."

"Conquering this place was easy," Batu remarked after Boke and his men were gone from the room. "Keeping control and running things will prove much more difficult."

"I have always valued your counsel, Batu, and I will continue to rely on you."

The expert archer acknowledged his commander's compliment with gratitude.

"What about the Imperial soldiers that we captured?"

Shan-Yu rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "We will have to get rid of them. They were loyal to the previous Emperor. Unless we can convince their commander to serve me. He would be a great asset to our army. If he is willing, perhaps his men will follow him."

"There is very little chance he will do that."

"Yes. But if he is to die, he will be given final rights as a man. A good meal, a woman of his choosing for the night. Though he is the enemy, I have great respect for him as a warrior. He came to defend his Emperor fearlessly, with no thought to his own life. He will die as a man, and with honor."

**xxxxxxx**

The three soldiers made their way through the Tung Shao pass for the fourth time, trudging through the snow and then the mud as they descended to lower altitudes.

Ling scrambled down ahead of the others, lankier and quicker than his two friends and quite anxious about Mulan's safety. He had been completely against her going into the palace by herself. She was so stubborn though and would not heed anyone's advice.

They had watched from a distance as she scaled the column leading to the second story of the palace wearing that dress and the slippers on her tiny feet, using the sash the way they had used the bronze disks in the arrow exercise. She was completely unarmed.

He didn't want to think about what would happen to her if Shan-Yu found her. She was pretty, so chances were good that he wouldn't kill her. But he might do something else.

Ling felt his stomach clench and he forced himself not to think about it.

"Come on," he called back to his friends, trying to mask the worry in his voice. "Pick up the pace. The sooner we get word out, the sooner we can get back with reinforcements to help Mulan."

Yao and Chien-Po pushed themselves to catch up.

"Sorry, Ling," Yao muttered. "You're a faster runner."

They found the streets of Bi's village still severely flooded when they arrived many days later.

Bi looked up as they walked into the tavern in the afternoon.

"What are you three doing back here?" Bi exclaimed in surprise. "Where's Mulan?"

She noted the gravity in their expressions and instantly became alarmed.

"Is she alright?"

"She was when we left her. But she did something…that could be dangerous," Ling told her.

"Sit down," she said, gesturing to the table. "I'll get you drinks and we can talk."

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: More to follow shortly.


	9. The Soldier from the Mountains

**Chapter 9: The Soldier from the Mountains**

Shan-Yu looked Mulan over.

He didn't know who she was, but something about her struck him the moment he set eyes on her.

He found her walking in the hallway with a group of several other women, all of them beautiful; but she caught his eye immediately. She looked nothing like a concubine and didn't fit in with the others at all.

She was not full-figured, nor was she attractive the way other women were, the way most men liked their women. She wore her hair short, just at her shoulders, unusual for a Chinese woman. She was skinny and she wore no make-up, none of the white face paint typical of the women in China and that the concubines were wearing. In fact, Mulan had a suntan, as if she spent her life outside. She was natural, and very pretty in a different sort of way.

It was painfully obvious that she was young and inexperienced, nothing at all like the seasoned courtiers he expected to find there.

The moment he picked her out and stopped her, she looked terrified, not only of him, he sensed, but of what she imagined he wanted her for. There was no way this girl was a palace concubine.

Then when he made a sudden move to get closer to her, she had taken a defensive stance, ready to fight him if he tried to harm her, her martial art form perfect. It was a completely primal and instinctive reaction and it had taken him aback completely. There were plenty of women warriors among his people, and the Hun women were fierce and ruthless fighters. But Chinese women were demure, quiet. They didn't speak until they were spoken to, and they didn't learn martial arts. Where had this little girl come to learn it, and so well?

She wouldn't answer his questions. She stared at him defiantly, despite her fear, and remained stubbornly silent other than providing him with her given name. He had to admire her bravery.

She really seemed so familiar to him and though he couldn't possibly know her he couldn't help feeling that he'd seen her somewhere before. She was a complete contradiction and it was quite odd that she was there at all. He felt compelled to keep her near him until he could figure it out.

**xxxxxxx**

Shang pressed his hands against one of the walls in the room, beginning to work his way over to the next wall. He remembered his father telling him about the secret passageways and chambers within the palace walls. They were for the Emperor, so he could make his way through the palace without being seen if he so wished. They inevitably led to many of the concubines' rooms, and he assumed that he must be in one of those. If he could get into the passageway, he could escape from the room and find his way out of the palace. What he didn't understand was why it had taken him so long to think of it.

He'd lost track of how many days he'd been kept in that room as a prisoner. It seemed like forever.

He tested every inch of wall, not sure what he was hoping to find. A lever or something that would give way maybe. It was a painstaking process, but if he was lucky it would be worth it. He ceased his task when he heard the guards unlocking the door, marking with his eye where he had left off so he could pick up again later.

They beckoned him to go with them and led him to a room with a large table that was covered with plates and bowls abundantly filled with steaming, sumptuous-smelling food. No one was there, but the two guards gestured for him to sit down at the table, then took their places, standing on either side of him. He almost laughed. There were two of them, with swords, and he was unarmed; yet they still both guarded him. Were they that worried about what he would do?

Shan-Yu entered the room. The lithe, willowy figure of a woman trailed behind him and came up to stand beside him. Shang's world turned completely upside down when he found himself looking at the face of the half-naked girl he'd last seen crouched on the snow-covered ground, cloaked only by a thin blanket. What was _she_ doing there? Was she Shan-Yu's concubine?

Several scenarios began to run through his mind at once. She might have been his lover and a spy. Maybe that was why she had infiltrated his camp as a man; to get information for the Huns by being in his camp, throwing them all off-guard by the fact that she was a woman.

No, that was impossible. She had buried the Hun army with an avalanche, on purpose. She wouldn't have done that if she were a spy for Shan-Yu. And though he didn't know her very well as Mulan, he'd gotten to know Ping somewhat. It was still the same person, as confusing as that was in his mind. Though he remained angry at her betrayal, he had to admit that the person he'd known as Ping was not devious or underhanded.

He cringed as he watched Shan-Yu's large rough, calloused hand slide along the curve of her shoulder, then run down the side of her torso, coming to rest in the curve of her waist. Shang thought he could see a flicker of fear pass over her features and she seemed to shudder ever so slightly.

He had left her in the Tung Shao Pass and she should have been home by now. He wondered if maybe she had been captured there and brought to the Imperial City, for what reason he couldn't divine. If Shan-Yu or any of his men wanted their way with her, they could have done so right then and left her there.

The guilt stirred up in him once more as he thought about leaving her, more powerful now that he was seeing her again, dressed as a woman.

He was astonished at how pretty this female incarnation of Ping looked wearing a dress and slippers, though he was completely puzzled as to how she came to attain them. He had left her in the pass with nothing but the soldier's tunic and trousers, and army boots. Where had she managed to find women's clothing in the middle of all the confusion?

"Eh, Commander?"

Shang blinked and turned away from her, staring at Shan-Yu blankly.

Shan-Yu whispered something to the girl and she turned and left the room, quickly glancing at her former captain. Shan-Yu took his place at the table then, gesturing to the large spread of food before them.

"Help yourself, Commander. As for the girl that just left," he laughed mirthfully. "She's an inexperienced one. I don't know if she should be the one that I send to you for the night."

Shang's jaw nearly dropped to the floor.

**xxxxxxx**

The dinner had been delicious, a spread fit for a king. Shang was completely stunned that he was brought to have dinner with Shan-Yu and it was odd how they had dined together almost as if they were old buddies. If it weren't for the guards standing behind him making sure he didn't leap up and escape, and for the fact that Shan-Yu was his mortal enemy, it might have been a typical meal shared by two friends.

Sitting with the Hun leader in a more…social situation, for lack of another way of describing it…he had seen a side of Shan-Yu that surprised him. The man was actually very conversational and quite friendly when he wanted to be. They had conversed about fighting techniques, about typical military strategies, about hunting. If Shan-Yu had been Chinese and not Hun, Shang might have actually called him a friend.

He had been floored, however, when Shan-Yu spoke about sending a woman to him for the night, especially when he suggested that it could have been Mulan.

He was completely confused by it all. Was this some sort of newfangled Hun torture method? Were they treating him like royalty and befriending him, maybe to get him to let his guard down?

His thoughts drifted to Mulan and trying to figure out what she was doing there. He wondered why he had involuntarily shuddered so when he watched Shan-Yu touch her in such a possessive way.

The sound of the lock turning interrupted his thoughts and he looked up as the door opened.

"I get cold easily," the girl was saying to the guard with a giggle as she stepped into the room.

"Mulan," Shang murmured in disbelief as he set eyes on the small girl that he'd left in the snow and had just found again, by Shan-Yu's side. He had sent her to him after all.

Shang realized that his tone of voice sounded much more caring than he would have ever expected. He became annoyed with himself and angry with her once more.

She watched as the guard closed the door and listened as he locked it from the outside. Then she turned to Shang and approached, sitting beside him on the bed. He blushed and inched away from her, surprised at her gesture but noting that her face was red as well. She was carrying what looked like a folded dark green blanket and the bundle now rested on her lap. That explained her remark to the guard.

"I have to speak quietly, Shang," she said, softly, indicating the door with her eyes. "They're going to execute you tomorrow morning." She gestured to the bundle in her lap. "You can get out of here. I have…"

"I don't need you to rescue me, Mulan," he retorted, angrily. Somewhere inside of him he knew she was bravely and nobly trying to help him, but it infuriated him that he had been reduced to relying on this woman to save him.

"Listen to me…"

"I don't need your help. Why should I trust you anyway?" he hissed, allowing the feeling of bitter resentment and betrayal to seethe as vividly as ever inside of him.

"But they're going to kill you…"

"I don't care," he answered, not looking at her.

Her tone was one of surprise. "That's not like you, Shang."

He turned to her abruptly and glowered at her, his eyes blazing, his muscles taut with the tension of his anger. "What do you know about me? You think because you spent a couple of months in my camp you know me?"

Her answer was passionate, and she seemed to ignore his disparaging tone. "I know you're someone who is brave. You rose above your own personal grief to lead us on in an effort to save the Emperor. You're not someone who gives up."

"Get out of here, Mulan."

An expression of genuine hurt crossed her features and though he felt gratified that he had put it there he also had a sudden pang of remorse for causing it. He didn't know what was wrong with him. He felt like he had to hold onto his anger at her, at everything; there would be strength in anger. He set his jaw and glared at her, giving her a look as if to question why she was still sitting there.

She folded her arms, returning his glare with a stubborn but serene gaze. It irked him that she was so calm when he felt as if his blood would boil.

"Well, the _Emperor_ has ordered me to stay with you tonight. So, since I'm here, I have the opportunity to help you escape…"

He leaned toward her. "So, you've been sent for my pleasure? Is that it?"

He noted how her chin quivered and her body trembled as he moved in close to her. Was she afraid of him? The image of her crouched underneath his sword flashed in his mind and he shook it off.

"Scared?" he taunted her.

"Are you?" she retorted, defiantly. "Is that why you're so willing to die?"

"Mulan, get out of here!" he lashed out at her, furiously.

"Are you so angry at me, Shang, that you won't take help from me? You're unwilling to try to help yourself, help our country? I'm sorry I deceived you. But it wasn't personal against you. I wasn't out to fool you or to make you feel stupid. I was just trying to help my father and bring honor to my family because I couldn't seem to succeed at that in any other way!"

"Oh, well, you've certainly succeeded now," he replied, contemptuously. "Being Shan-Yu's…"

He was cut off by the loud thwack as her hand came in contact with his face in a violent slap. His hand involuntarily went up to his stinging cheek. He gaped at her, his face red, angry and mortified, unable to believe that she had _dared_ to slap him and unable to believe himself, that he had started to say what he had to her. No matter what she had done, she didn't deserve for him to talk to her that way. But it was too late to take it back.

"Do you think I wanted this?" she hissed at him, furiously blinking back tears that had formed in her eyes. "In the first place, he caught me in the hallway with a group of women and took a liking to me. In the second place…"

"How did you even…?"

"Oh, never mind, Shang. It's not even worth explaining to you."

He remained silent as she threw him a look of disgust.

"I'll be going now. If I'm asked I'll say that you had a great time and wanted to spend the remainder of the night alone."

She stood up and tossed him the bundle that had been on her lap. It thudded softly as it made contact with his own lap, and he grasped it, becoming curious as he felt a solid, thin object wrapped in it. He began to pull back the folds of material, staring down as his father's sword was revealed within the blanket. He had dropped it in the hallway when he was fighting Shan-Yu, when he first came into the palace. He never saw it again until this moment. He looked up incredulously.

She had already crossed back to the door and was rapping loudly on it and calling out to the guard.

"Mulan, how…?" he began.

It was too late. The door was unlocked and opened, and she was already following the guard out without so much as a glance back at him. The door shut and locked behind them.

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: More details about Shan-Yu to come soon. I know the story is getting a little weird, and will probably get weirder. Please review and let me know what you think so far. Thanks!


	10. The Sword

A/N: Many thanks again to all who have been reading and reviewing. Next chapter up.

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 10: The Sword**

Jie was the guardian of General Li Kuang. He was a tiger, and had stood by the general even before he had any rank at all, guiding him in battle and teaching him to be a great leader. The ancestors sent Jie to Li Kuang when he left for his very first battle, which they knew would be a difficult one. Kuang nearly died rescuing his own commander at that time, but he survived thanks to Jie's guidance. He was awarded a medal of honor for his bravery and given the rank of captain, though it was destined that the rank would have come to him eventually anyway, given the long line of famous Li generals that had come before him.

Jie accompanied Captain Li Kuang in the ensuing battles that he fought, and finally Li Kuang became a general. As the new sword was forged for General Li, he requested that the design on the top of the hilt be a tiger's face, rather than the usual dragon's face that everyone had, in honor of his excellent guardian.

Shang sat on the bed in a daze, holding that same sword that belonged to his father and that Mulan had brought back to him, staring toward the door that she had just walked through and thinking about the interaction that had occurred between them.

He knew that he'd acted badly to her. He couldn't believe what he had said to her about being Shan-Yu's concubine. She didn't deserve that, and despite the nasty comment that was almost completely out of his mouth before she slapped him, she had left him the weapon so he could help himself to escape, not holding a grudge.

The passion with which he seemed to hate her astonished and confused him. The truth was she had touched something inside of him when she spoke of how he rose above his own personal grief and led the troops bravely. He didn't believe that he was really that brave; but he was disarmed as he realized in that moment how much respect she seemed to have for him, and how she really did seem to know him so well. But he didn't want that; he wanted to, needed to allow the anger and bitterness to overtake him, he needed to fight with her and push her away.

He sighed and his gaze idly moved from the door to the sword in his hands. He stared at the design of a tiger's face at the top of the hilt, remembering the night that he had heard the story of it.

He was eight years old, tears of relief streaming down his cheeks at the sight of his father, who had come home finally after being away in battle for a year and a half, the longest stretch that he'd been away at one time. His mother had tried to put up a strong front during all that time, but Shang knew that everyday she cried in secret, thinking that he didn't hear her. He had been convinced that his father wasn't going to return then.

Upon seeing Shang's tears, Li Kuang sat down with him and told him that as the young man of the family, he had to be strong.

"Someday you will follow in my footsteps, Li Shang, just as I followed in the footsteps of my father, and he in the steps of his father. You come from a long and proud lineage of great generals and you will be no different."

Then his father told him of his guardian, Jie, a powerful tiger that had guided him throughout his military career, and he showed Shang the sword with the unique hilt.

"You see this design, Li Shang?" He pointed to the tiger's face and nodded at him, indicating that he was allowing him to place his hand on the sword. Shang reached over eagerly and pressed his fingers against the hilt, tracing the design with the tips of them as his father continued speaking. "I requested this design when the sword was forged, to honor Jie. There is no other sword like this in the Imperial Army. This battle was a long and brutal one that wouldn't end until now finally. But Jie was with me. Remember that. He is always with me."

Shang blinked, waking from his reverie, and sighed heavily. He knew now that it was a superstition; the tiger was the talisman that his father believed in. And General Li Kuang had told this story to a scared little boy in order to comfort him and to teach him that a real man didn't cry. There was no Jie. If there was, where was he during his father's last battle near the Tung Shao Pass?

One of his men had brought the sword to him after retrieving it from his father's body that lay out in that valley with the rest of the fallen soldiers. He had kept it, using his own sword to make a memorial to his father. He still couldn't imagine how Mulan had gotten her hands on it or how she knew it was his. Had she looked that closely at the sword to note its uniqueness?

He sighed again as his thoughts returned to Mulan. She was trying to help him and she had done so at risk to herself.

'For the second time,' he thought.

His gaze fell on the blanket that the sword had been wrapped in and he realized with a start that the guard might have noticed that she came in with it but left without it.

A sense of alarm swept through him. What if she was harmed because she was caught trying to help him? He couldn't let that happen, it wouldn't be right. He had to get out of there and help her.

He set the blanket aside, rose from the bed and knelt down, sliding the sword under it in case someone walked in. Then he stood up and returned to the spot in the wall where he had left off earlier, bending once again to the task of looking for an entrance that might lead to a hidden passageway.

**xxxxxxx**

"This is futile," argued one of the leaders in the village. "We are not soldiers. We're simple villagers and farmers. What are we going to fight with? Our scythes and rice-pickers?"

"Gao is right. All we can do is go about our lives and be prepared to defend our loved ones when the Hun army decides to move through the countryside and pillage our little towns," another one said.

Bi sat at a table with Jia and the other girls, all of them listening to every word that was said, though making sure to appear as if they weren't. Mulan's three friends sat with the village leaders and messengers had been sent in all directions earlier that day to carry the news of the situation in the Imperial City.

Bi silently agreed with Gao. It was a hopeless cause. The army defending the Imperial City had obviously failed, and probably didn't exist anymore.

As for the rest of the army, they were defending the other borders. As a woman, it was odd for her to have such knowledge as this; but she'd been with enough generals and commanders who talked too much. She always listened to every word and remembered everything that was said.

This was not supposed to be something for Bi and her girls to worry about. Defense of the country had nothing to do with women, especially not women such as themselves. And perhaps things wouldn't be any different for them with the Huns taking over; only their clientele would change possibly. But things could take a turn for the worse, too, even for them.

"Look, the three of us aren't officers," Ling told them, "but we've been through training. We can at least teach you some basic stuff. I know it isn't much, but we have to do something."

"You three?" Gao asked, incredulously.

"Yeah, that's right," Yao told them. "I'm a damn good archer now. I could teach you all. And Ling here is a master at breaking bricks with his head."

"Well, I guess it's a start. But it's going to take time. It will be awhile before we drive the Huns out, if we succeed at all. I fear that this is still an exercise in futility."

"We still have to try," Chien-Po urged.

"And we have to help our friend," Ling added. "She risked her life to get in there and help our captain and comrades."

"And she was caught," came a new voice, a male voice.

Everyone turned to where the voice had come from, gawking at the tiny red creature that was perched on the windowsill.

"That's him!" Jia exclaimed, seizing Bi's arm. "That's the lizard that was in Mulan's room!"

"It's the snake that bit me!"

"I am a _dragon_!" the creature retorted. "I'm Mulan's guardian, sent by her ancestors. She sent me here to tell you what happened and to get help. Shan-Yu caught her! You guys need to hurry and get back to the Imperial City before it's too late!"

**xxxxxxx**

Mulan hurried back to the room that she now shared with Shan-Yu after she left Shang. She had been there for a few days now and though he let her go wherever she wished in the palace, she knew that he always had her watched by one of his men. Even when she didn't see them, she knew they were there. She was like a bird that, though not caged, nevertheless had its master's string tied around its leg.

She had to wait until she was in her small, private chamber before breaking down. If his men saw her tears, they might guess that something had transpired between her and their prisoner, raising suspicions. And as it was, she was in a precarious position. She had discovered in just a few days that Shan-Yu was sharp and instinctive, and she knew that the minute he found it missing, he would figure out that she was the one that had taken the sword that belonged to Shang's father. There would be questions. And if Shang got over his stupidity and took the opportunity to help himself and escape, she could easily be linked to that as well.

Shang was so furious at her, so unforgiving, and he hadn't seemed to want any help at all. In fact, he was acting like a real asshole, to put it mildly, she thought with disgust. His retorts and his scornful tone still rang in her ears, his comment about what she now was to Shan-Yu still stinging, even though it wasn't officially true yet. That Shang thought it was true was enough to deeply trouble her.

"Back so soon, my pretty one?" came the low rumbling of Shan-Yu's husky voice as she crept into the room. He sat on the edge of the bed in the large chamber that had probably been the previous Emperor's bedroom. It was now his.

"He wanted to spend the remainder of the night alone."

She crossed toward the door leading to her small adjoining chamber and hurried inside, shutting the door behind her and slumping against it, her body sagging with the weight of the sadness and anguish that she felt.

She angrily wiped away the tears that she had allowed to stream down her cheeks now that she was by herself. She didn't know why she even cared what Shang thought of her. She had more important things to worry about than that.

She knew that one day soon Shan-Yu would just take her. He was a man and could only wait for so long; and though he hadn't forced sex on her yet, he did place his hands on her constantly, becoming more possessive with each passing day, starting with merely touching her shoulder but slowly venturing to touch her in more intimate places on her body.

She crossed the dark room and sank down onto the bed, not making a move to light the lantern by her bedside, wishing to remain in the dark. She sighed as she thought of the events of that evening.

Shan-Yu had provided her with the opportunity to get the sword to Shang. He spoke freely in front of her, mostly to Batu, his most trusted counselor and confidante; and she knew instantly that the commander they spoke about was Shang, which is how she knew they were planning to kill him.

She went with Shan-Yu into the dining room that evening. His guards had brought Shang there already, and he was waiting for him. She was supposed to serve both of them, but Shan-Yu changed his mind, whispering for her to wait in their room until he got back instead. He would be sending her to this commander.

She instantly knew what he was doing. He was giving Shang a woman for the night, his last night alive, and she was the woman. It was perfect. She would be able to at least get a weapon to him then, and hopefully he could fight his way out.

She had returned to the room to wait, as Shan-Yu instructed her, striding directly to the closet where she knew he kept his trademark sword with the jagged blade that had wounded her so nastily. There were several weapons stored there, but one sword in particular caught her eye. She picked it up and looked it over, recognizing it instantly. In its own way, it was equally unique and artfully forged. Instead of the typical dragon's face at the top of the hilt, this sword had a tiger's face.

The first time she saw it was at the village near the Tung Shao Pass, when one of the men in the troop handed it to Shang. She knew it was his father's sword, and though she remembered thinking absently that the design was unusual, there were many more things that she was thinking and feeling at the time, standing in the middle of that devastation. The tiger's face on the sword was quickly forgotten until she saw it again now.

She'd had to figure out a way to get the sword to Shang inconspicuously. She came up with the blanket idea, praying that it would work and that the guards would buy the idea that as a woman, she was always cold.

She dropped her head into her hands. She was completely alone there. She had sent Mushu off to contact her friends and let them know what had happened, though he went reluctantly, insisting that he needed to stay with her to make sure the 'yellow-eyed gargantuan', as he called Shan-Yu, didn't harm her.

But from the moment Shan-Yu picked her out of the group of fifteen women in the hallway he had been nice to her, which was astonishing. She expected him to kill her, or at the very least to treat her like a conquest, but he didn't. Rather, he seemed to regard her as a delicate flower, despite the fact that he realized she knew martial arts.

He also treated her like a curiosity. He knew that she obviously didn't belong there.

It had been foolish to think she could blend in with the women of the palace. Unused to wearing it, she had completely forgotten about the white face paint. The only time in her life that she ever had it on was when she went to the matchmaker, and though she liked what she saw when she looked in the mirror that day, a girl who looked like she could have been a real bride, she hated the way the stuff felt on her face. It never occurred to her to put it on again.

She should have known better than to try to blend in with women who really knew how to act like women. She was a throwback, an oddball, and she blended in better with soldiers now.

Shan-Yu had her pegged immediately as an oddity. Then she had gone and taken a defensive stance that she'd learned at camp, which was really idiotic. It had been instinctive, he had made a sudden move toward her and it scared her; but the moment she did it she realized her mistake. He had looked shocked.

There was no opportunity to run, and she would have been more obvious if she did. So she just went with him silently, trying not to look afraid, while he questioned her in the large chamber he brought her to.

He seemed more interested in figuring out who she was and what she was doing there at that time than in making her a concubine, much to her relief. The only word she uttered was 'Mulan' in answer to what her name was. She didn't answer his questions about whether or not she was really a palace courtesan, about how she came to be there and where she had learned how to fight.

He wasn't angry when she didn't answer his queries. He seemed to be amused by her reticence and a low, not unpleasant-sounding rumble of laughter had tumbled out of him. He commented on her bravery and seemed pleased.

"You're a fascinating little woman and I love a challenge. I _will_ find out all about you," he had said with a wink. He had reached out to touch her face and she tried to suppress a shudder, unsuccessfully. He saw it and with a kind smile withdrew his hand before it touched her, which took her by surprise.

He brought her to the large, lavishly furnished bedchamber after that and beckoned for her to follow him to a door in the room, which led to a smaller but also lavishly furnished chamber.

He gestured inside. "This room is yours. You will stay here, by my side. That is the order of your new Emperor."

She had made up her mind that she would treat this as a mission. She was a soldier now, and nothing would daunt her. She would use this time of captivity to listen to the conversations between him and his men and to learn as much as she could about the enemy so that when the opportunity came to fight, she would have as much knowledge and ammunition as possible.

She snapped her head up, startled out of her thoughts, panicking as she heard the rap on her door. She stiffened and her heart raced up into her throat as it opened and he stood in the open doorway, his huge, powerful frame filling it, the lantern light in the large room behind him accentuating his silhouette and casting a faint, giant shadow over the floor of the small chamber. He approached silently and sat on her bed beside her, slipping his arm around her waist in the same possessive manner that he had earlier in the evening, in front of Shang.

She cringed inside, sensing his curiosity as she felt his fingers once again explore the bandage that was wound around her waist underneath her dress. He hadn't asked about it yet; but she knew that he would when he undressed her and saw it. And if he unraveled it and saw the wound, he might very likely recognize the mark of his own unique blade. Then it would only be a short time before he realized that she was the soldier that stood just a couple of feet from him in the mountains and caused the burial of his army.

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: More to follow shortly, including, finally, a real conversation between Mulan and Shan-Yu, which should hopefully make the story more interesting. Please leave a review and let me know how this is going. Thanks!


	11. Enemies

A/N: Many thanks to all for continuing to read and review.

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 11: Enemies**

Shang swiftly made his way through the hidden passage. He had finally happened upon a panel of the wall that he was able to push inward and slide sideways, revealing an entrance to a tunnel inside the wall, just as his father had spoken of.

The general's unique sword was tied to his waist and his hand went down and rested on the hilt every once in awhile. It was one of the few things of his father's that he had left and having it back gave him some comfort in an odd way.

His thoughts went to Mulan again. It was thanks to her that he had the sword. She was still with Shan-Yu, her life in danger most likely; and once Shan-Yu realized that he was gone she would very likely be blamed, since she was the one that had access to him. If the guard gave word that she had left something with him, even something as innocent as a blanket, he might put everything together.

Shang's stomach clenched and his heart went into his throat. He had to figure out a way to get to her. If she was killed for aiding him…

He couldn't let that happen. He picked up his pace, beginning to formulate a plan in his mind.

**xxxxxxx**

"You were not very long with the Imperial commander tonight."

Shan-Yu had been sure that the commander had taken a liking to Mulan judging from the dazed expression on his face when he stared at her in the dining room earlier. As he thought about it now however, it dawned on him that there had been familiarity and recognition in the commander's face too.

"You know each other," he said, quietly.

She didn't answer.

"Is he a husband? A betrothed?"

"No," she muttered.

The room was dark, the only light coming from his chamber, and he couldn't see her face clearly but he could feel her shoulders sag slightly and he could sense her melancholy. He felt her body trembling against his own and against the arm he had around her waist. She was a beautiful woman, yet she was such a young, frightened child in a way.

There was a loud banging on the door to the outer chamber and Shan-Yu abruptly withdrew his arm from around the girl. He leaped up and stormed out to his own room, grabbing his sword from the weapons closet before going to the door, prepared to kill whoever was on the other side of it, interrupting him.

Boke stood there.

"What is it?" Shan-Yu growled at his young cousin impatiently.

"I must speak with you. It's urgent."

Boke looked extremely apprehensive, which was usually a sign that the younger man had bad news for him and was worried about his reaction. Shan-Yu stepped out into the hall, shutting the door behind him, and beckoned for him to walk with him.

**xxxxxxx**

"I don't believe this," Yao grumbled, turning back to stare at the ragged, motley group of villagers that followed them up the mountain path. "This is sad. How are we going to execute a rescue mission?"

"Hey, we used to look like that to the captain when we first started at camp," Ling laughed. "He thought we were all pathetic."

"That medic…I don't know what he's doing here. He's too old to fight."

"Yeah, but we may need him," Chien-Po commented with a sigh. "It would have been helpful if Mushu had stayed with us. He's a guardian. He could have directed us right to Mulan."

"He had to go back to look after her."

"Yeah, he made that well-known," Gao commented, alluding to the night that the tiny dragon had appeared to them. They had asked Mushu for information, but all he told them was that she was caught by Shan-Yu and that he had her in the Emperor's bedroom, which he had taken for himself.

"I have to get back to her now. I'm not letting _anyone_ lay a hand on my baby!"

Then he had darted off, urging them once more to hurry.

"I'm glad he went to her," Ling mused. "At least she won't be alone with Shan-Yu." He sighed. "I was afraid this would happen. I really was against her going in like that."

"We were all worried about her doing it," Chien-Po answered quietly. "But the situation was hopeless, and she wanted to do something to help. With any luck, maybe she was able to free the captain and the others."

"I hate to be negative," Yao interjected, "but there's a good chance they've all been killed."

Chien-Po shook his head. "I don't think so. At least not the captain. I sense that he is alive."

Yao stared at his large, corpulent friend then shook his head at him. "You know, you really are weird sometimes, Chien-Po."

**xxxxxxx**

Shan-Yu returned to his room and stared at the closed door to the small adjoining chamber where Mulan lay, probably asleep now. He considered waking her up and helping himself to what the Imperial commander had been treated to earlier, but decided against it.

She was a real puzzle, a bundle of contradictions and mysteries, and he looked forward to unraveling them just like the material that he had felt around her waist under her dress. But he had to go slowly with her. Not only was she young and inexperienced, he had a strong sense of her perception of him as the enemy. It was almost as if he was facing a male opponent, like the commander.

Something else was bothering him now, too. She hadn't been with the commander long enough to do anything. But he had an instinctive certainty that she and the commander knew each other, and she had been with him for just enough time to warn him, maybe even to provide him with a means of escape. She was a smart one, and he had no doubt that she was capable of that.

And now this latest report from Boke about four of the men in the palace disappearing from their posts tonight. No one had seen the missing men for hours. Either something had happened to them or they were merely shirking their duties. He was determined to personally wring each of their necks when he found them if the latter was the case.

He sighed and crossed over to the weapons closet, replacing his sword in its spot on the shelf. He pondered as his gaze shifted to the lower shelf that contained the weapons confiscated from the Imperial soldiers that tried to stop them. After staring at the collection for a minute he turned on his heel and went to the door to Mulan's chamber, knocking. She didn't answer but he opened the door and went in.

She was tossing and turning, moaning softly in her sleep, words that were unintelligible. He moved toward the bed slowly, captivated. The room was dark, other than the scarce light from the other room, but he could see the tears glistening on her eyelashes and on her cheeks. He stood there staring down at her for a long time, studying her face as she slept fitfully.

"Mulan," he finally spoke softly, reaching down and wiping away a fresh tear that had fallen.

Her eyes popped open. She gasped and bolted upright, clutching the blanket up against her body and inching back away from him.

"You were having a bad dream. Are you okay?"

She stared at him warily, her eyes narrowed with suspicion and hatred. He sighed.

"You are like the rest of the people of your country. You think that we are wild, evil barbarians and that I am just a heartless conqueror."

"Aren't you?" she retorted, defiantly.

"It is naïve of you to think that things are so black and white. And though I realize that you _are_ naïve…inexperienced and naïve…you seem like an intelligent girl. Too intelligent to accept that things are so simple."

He received no answer.

"The Emperors were invaders, too. They built that wall across _our_ land. We needed to fight back, for our own honor and pride."

Mulan was silent.

"You didn't know that, did you? We have had diplomatic relations, treaties with the people in the Han territory since way back. Long before I was born."

"If you had treaties, the Emperor would have known…"

He shook his head. "He didn't care, nor did the Emperors before him. They weren't always on paper and many of my people don't know how to read or write. But we had trade agreements among the various tribes, with states and villages on both sides of the border, agreements made with honest and honorable intentions. There are even blood ties and intermarriages between our peoples, and many of those villages along the border were on _our_ land, and our families lived in them. The Emperor paid no mind to that, continuing to cut us off not only from resources that we bargained for in good faith but from our own _families_."

He could see the astonished and questioning look that shone in her dark eyes.

"So, as you see, there is another side to every story."

She flinched slightly as he took a seat on the edge of the bed, studying her.

"How do you and the commander know one another?" he began to press again.

She was silent for a minute, her eyes averted. Then she faced him and quietly replied, "He found me in the village that you destroyed in the mountains."

Shan-Yu stared at her in astonishment, wondering for a moment if maybe that's why she looked familiar to him. But he knew he hadn't seen any of the villagers. His army was at a distance from the village for most of the time, fighting the Imperial army with the flaming arrows that they used and then engaging in hand-to-hand combat in the valley on the outskirts of that village. That wasn't it.

"What did those women and _children_ do to you?" she continued.

He was silent, at a complete loss as to how to explain to this young girl the bitterness and hatred in his own heart because of similar things that had happened to his own people, his own family, in the struggle for power and land that continued to go on between the tribes in the north and the various Emperors and politicians in Chang'an.

"It's personal," he finally answered gruffly. "And I don't owe you or anyone else an explanation."

He stood abruptly and strode out of the chamber, shutting the door behind him, not seeing as a small red creature that didn't even come up to his knee in height slipped past him and into Mulan's room before the door closed.

He closed his eyes for a moment and sighed, forcing away the images that had been stirred up just from touching upon his background with her. Then he crossed over to the desk in his chamber, retrieving the lantern that sat upon it, and went to the weapons closet.

Holding the lantern so that the ring of light would illuminate the lower shelf, he began to search the store of Imperial swords for the one that had immediately caught his eye. It belonged to the commander and was as unique as his own.

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: I know, I know, another little cliffy. Sorry, **SapphireStars**, I've probably given you two twitching eyes and numerous tics by now. I will update as soon as possible.


	12. Détente

A/N: Sorry it has taken so long to update this fic. I appreciate everyone's interest in it and your encouragement, and I think I'm finally back on track with it. A new chapter 12 and 13 is being posted, along with a completely new chapter 14. I think certain things happened too soon in the story the first time I posted chapters 12 and 13. I am changing some details and order of events, and adding more events and interaction that I thought needed to happen. I think that it needs more work, but at least it's a start.

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 12: Détente**

Mushu hopped onto Mulan's shoulder and they hugged.

"Are you alright, Mulan? Has he hurt you?"

"I'm fine, Mushu. He's actually been treating me very well."

"He hasn't…?"

"No. Not yet anyway."

His eyes gleamed at her in the dark, fixed on her with a puzzled expression. A moment later, a thin stream of fire flashed in the dark and the lantern was lit.

"Are you sure you're okay, Mulan?"

"Yes."

"Listen, Mulan, don't worry about anything. We're going to get you out of here. Yao, Ling and Chien-Po are on the way here with a group of villagers. They're going to try to climb up here the way you did. Did you find the others?"

"No. They've already been killed. Shang is still alive but they're planning to kill him in the morning. I got his father's sword to him, but I don't think he's even going to try to escape. I think he wants to die."

"Well, if that's what he wants, it's his problem. There's nothing you can do about it."

"I know."

"How did _you_ get a hold of Shang's sword, anyway?"

"He was keeping it in the closet out there with the weapons taken from the others. He was giving Shang a…a last night on earth where he got everything he could want. A good meal, me."

"_You?_"

She nodded. "He sent me back here and told me to wait, and I prepared Shang's sword and took it with me when he sent me to Shang's room."

"You went there?"

"Nothing happened, Mushu. Shang acted like a complete jerk to me and I left him the sword. That's it. Mushu, would you take a peek out there and see what he's doing?"

He hopped off the bed and darted over to the door, peering out.

"He's looking through the weapons closet," he told her when he hopped back up and stood before her.

"He's going to know I took it," Mulan sighed, closing her eyes.

"How? Did he keep count? And by the way, how did you know which sword in that entire pile was Shang's?"

"It's a unique sword. It has a tiger's face on one side of the hilt instead of a dragon's face. I don't know why his father had such an unusual sword made."

"Mulan, are you sure you're okay. What is going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"You don't seem to be too concerned that Shan-Yu is about to discover that you brought Shang his sword. You said he hasn't…"

"He hasn't."

"You're not lying to me, are you?"

"No! Why would I lie about that?"

"I don't know. You're really weird. You just don't seem to be very afraid of him."

She shook her head. "It's hard to explain. He treats me like I'm a china doll. I don't think he wants to hurt me."

"He has a thing for you?"

"I don't know."

She frowned, thinking about his behavior toward her. It had all been unexpected to say the least. Her last glimpses of him before she met him in the palace corridor included him leading his army on horseback, thundering toward her cloaked in black, his face barely visible, crouched low, his sword lowered almost to the ground and poised to swipe at anyone in his path. He had brought his horse to a grinding halt when she fired the cannon. And her very last view of him was when he slashed her abdomen with his jagged-edged sword. Of course she was appearing to him now as a woman; but still, his behavior was surprising. Shocking really.

"Mushu, is it possible that we were wrong?"

"That who was wrong?"

"I mean, we know that the Huns invaded and we fought back. But maybe we were invaders first. Maybe our Emperor and our soldiers did harm first."

"Who cares? You're a soldier of the Imperial army and you fought for your Emperor. You did what you were supposed to."

"Well, Shan-Yu is the Emperor now. So we're all supposed to be loyal to him now. The old Emperor is dead and no one else appears to be stepping forward to contest his rule other than Yao, Ling and Chien-Po and the gang of villagers they've organized. And they need to be careful, Mushu. He is intelligent and perceptive and instinctive. They can't underestimate him…"

Mushu darted under the blanket as the door was pushed open with a bang. His large frame filled the doorway as always.

"His sword is gone."

He strode toward the bed and Mulan inched back against the wall, cornered. She brought her knees up to her chest, trying to make herself as small as possible.

"You took it to him when you went there before, didn't you, my love."

Mulan didn't answer.

**xxxxxxx**

Shang felt along the wall for a door, listening carefully to try to hear sounds on the other side of the wall. The passageway was surprisingly well-lit, with lanterns placed throughout.

He had made it to what he estimated to be the center of the east wing of the palace, the wing where the Emperor's room was, according to his father. He now stood on the other side of the wall to what he believed was the Emperor's room. He was sure he had found it, and that this was where Mulan was, with Shan-Yu.

He set down the uniform that he had taken off one of the guards he'd killed, stripping out of his Imperial uniform quickly and donning the Hun uniform. He put his armor back on and tied his father's sword around his waist again.

He found what appeared to be a door in the wall and slid it sideways, revealing a small, dark, empty chamber, and stepped in, sliding the door shut behind him. He crossed to the other end of the small chamber. He could hear a voice on the other side of the wall. Shan-Yu's voice.

**xxxxxxx**

Shan-Yu sat on the edge of the bed now, leaning toward her and stroking her cheek.

"I have been very respectful toward you, Mulan. You know I could have forced you anytime."

"I know," she answered, turning her head away from his touch.

He looked surprised for a moment.

"You have treated me very well," she continued.

He nodded.

"And yet now I find that you have been behaving treacherously toward me."

"I knew that you were going to kill him."

"And you didn't want that?"

"No."

"The Imperial commander is my enemy and must be eliminated. Believe me, I have great respect for him. He is a warrior, and a brave man. But I cannot have loose ends."

She could not respond to that and remained mute.

"I will ask you again. What is he to you?"

"He is no one. I just don't want to see him harmed."

His eyebrows went up. "Oh?"

She thought for a minute, then chose her words carefully.

"You are the Emperor now. He is therefore required to serve you as he would serve any other Emperor on the throne. Why is it necessary to harm him? The same thing for the other Imperial soldiers."

"Ah, but the commander won't do that. He considers me an invader and an enemy, not the Emperor. And his men followed him without question."

Mulan remained silent, at a loss as to how to possibly respond to that.

"He is nothing more to you? Not a betrothed? Not a lover?" he pressed again.

"No."

She wanted to ask him why he cared, but thought better than to open up that conversation. She took another tactic and changed the subject.

"Did the Emperors really invade your land? Or are you just saying that to me?" she asked.

He began to laugh, heartily.

"Trying to change the subject, are you, my love?"

"Yes," she answered, honestly.

His eyebrows went up in surprise.

"But I really do want to know," she added.

He stared at her for a long minute, then nodded, a low, rumbling chuckle coming from deep within him. He reached out once more and his fingers made contact with her face, beginning to stroke her cheek tenderly again.

"I know that you're trying to distract me, my love. And stall me. But I do believe that you really want to know. And I will tell you. But first, I must let my men know to start searching the palace for the escaped commander."

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: Chapter 13 follows.


	13. The Guardian

A/N: New chapter 13.

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 13: The Guardian**

"How far away are my friends and the villagers?" Mulan asked Mushu when Shan-Yu left the room.

"They were on their way to the Tung Shao Pass. It will take them several days to get here. They're on foot."

"I may need to stay here for a little while, Mushu."

"Are you…?"

"I have to get Shang out of here."

"But, if he wants to die…"

"Can you find him for me, Mushu? Before Shan-Yu's men do?"

"What, am I _his_ guardian now?"

"Please, Mushu. Just help him get out of here, so I don't have to worry about him anymore. Help him escape and take him to Yao, Ling and Chien-Po. He can lead them."

"I don't want to leave you alone, baby."

"I'm okay, Mushu. I told you…I don't think he wants to harm me."

"No, he doesn't. He wants to do something else."

She eased herself out of bed and crept over to the door, peering out. Shan-Yu was gone.

"Mushu, would you follow Shan-Yu for now?"

"What?"

"Well, think of it this way. He isn't with me, so you know that I'm safe."

"I don't like this at all," the little dragon was muttering as he left the room.

She crossed back to her bed and was about to climb back in when she felt herself being grabbed from behind by someone with a large, very muscular frame. A wave of shock and panic paralyzed her and a hoarse scream escaped her. A strong hand was clamped over her mouth immediately, cutting off her cry.

She felt fur against her skin, typical of a Hun uniform, and her mind began to race, trying to grasp how one of Shan-Yu's men could have gotten into her room without her seeing. She could feel her assailant's heavy breath ghosting the back of her neck and a whimper escaped her.

Her heart thudded so loudly in her chest she couldn't hear anything over the sound of it; but she recovered from her shock and began to struggle, using the points of her elbows to jab at her attacker's ribcage. The hand over her mouth slipped a little and she bit it.

"Mulan, it's…ow!"

The voice was familiar but she was too panicked to register it. She managed to turn as he released her in reaction to the bite she'd given him and she knocked him off balance, gasping as she suddenly caught sight of his face a moment later, realizing that it was Shang.

He was quick though, and he had reached out after she knocked him off balance, grabbing her tightly and pulling her to the floor with him and rolling over on top of her, the full weight of his large frame pressed down on hers.

"Mulan," Shang whispered. "It's okay. It's Shang."

She lay there, trying to catch her breath, her heart thumping rapidly in her chest. His body was still pinning hers against the floor and he had lowered his face so that it was nearly touching hers.

"I'm sorry, Mulan," he murmured softly, his lips almost brushing against her ear. "I was afraid someone would hear you cry out."

"Okay," she answered, stiffly. "Would you get off of me now?"

She groaned involuntarily as she felt his body shift on top of hers. He rolled off of her, raising himself to standing then. He leaned down as she sat up and held out his hand to help her up but she ignored it, refusing his help, and stood up on her own.

"You really scared me, grabbing me from behind like that," she muttered softly, flashing him an angry glance. "How did you even get in here?"

"There's a passageway inside the walls. My father told me about it. It leads from the Emperor's room to all the concubines' rooms."

"Shan-Yu knows I got your sword to you, Shang."

"It was my father's," he muttered.

"I know."

He looked at her in surprise.

"I recognized it," she added. "Shan-Yu is sending his men to search for you, Shang. You need to get out of here."

He looked angry again all of a sudden, for some reason that she couldn't figure out.

"Mulan, why did you come back here? To the palace, I mean. I left you in the Tung Shao Pass."

"Yao, Ling and Chien-Po came to find me. They told me what happened. By the time we got back to the Imperial City the rest of the Hun army was here. They went to get help."

"And you risked yourself and came into the palace alone?"

"I wanted to help. I knew you and the others were being held prisoner."

"Are you crazy? I think you are crazy. Why do you care so much about what happens to me?"

"Why do you care so little about what happens to you?"

He scowled at her. "That is my business, Mulan. Who do you think you are?"

She sighed, exasperated and rolled her eyes. She realized that he seemed to just want to angrily fight with her and she couldn't fathom why.

"You're right, Shang. It's none of my business."

She returned her gaze to his face and found him staring at her. The anger was gone from his expression now and he looked bewildered.

"I don't understand you, Mulan. You are like no woman I've ever known," he muttered. "I can't even figure out how you managed to get in here."

"Shang, what are you doing here in my room anyway? You could have left the palace and gotten yourself to safety. Why did you come to me?"

"I…I thought he might try to hurt you. I came to help…but I see things are cozy between the two of you…"

His tone was full of bitterness and sarcasm and she narrowed her eyes, speaking in an even but quietly threatening tone.

"Don't even go there again, Shang."

**xxxxxxx**

Shan-Yu found Boke walking toward him in the corridor when he left his room.

"You were coming to see me, cousin? And I was just coming to find you."

"We found the four missing men. They've been killed. And one of them was stripped of his uniform."

"The commander has escaped. Organize a search, and leave no inch of the palace unturned. Let the men know that he is wearing a Hun uniform and that he is armed."

"I don't understand. How could he have gotten out? The guards would have seen him."

"I will question the guards once we have found him."

"And how could he have gotten hold of a weapon?"

"That is my concern, not yours. Go. Find him."

He turned around and headed back to his room, pondering. He couldn't figure out how the commander had escaped from the room he was imprisoned in without his guards seeing him either. He obviously hadn't gone through the door and there were no windows in that room. The only other way out was if he walked into the wall. Shan-Yu stopped as everything clicked into place in his mind. Of course. The Emperor might have wanted to move about without being seen.

"Boke," he called after his cousin.

"What?"

"Check inside the walls also."

"Excuse me?"

"Look for a hidden door, maybe built into the wall and appearing to be part of it. I believe it may lead to a passageway inside the walls. And I think that is where you will find him."

**xxxxxxx**

"Mulan, he's coming back!" Mushu whispered frantically, darting back into the room. He blinked when he saw Shang. "What's he doing here?"

Shang blinked back at Mushu. "What…?"

"Okay, Mushu, guard the door. Shang, go. Get back into the hidden passageway before he comes in here."

"Mushu?" he repeated.

"He's my guardian, Shang."

"A guardian?" he murmured in disbelief, gaping at Mushu and not moving.

She shook her head in frustration and began to push him to snap him out of this odd stupor he was in.

"Shang, are you stupid? Hurry! He's on his way in here and he'll see you!"

She watched as he finally turned and approached the wall, pressing his hands against it and sliding it open. She pushed him in and shut the panel behind him.

She heard the outside door shut and hurried into bed. Mushu hopped up and hid under her pillow now.

The door to her chamber opened and Shan-Yu came to her once more, sitting at the edge of the bed.

"That commander is quite clever. As I expected."

Shan-Yu glanced around the room. A minute later he stood up and went to the closet in the small chamber, opening it. Mulan watched him in confusion. He suddenly began to pace the perimeter of the room, appearing to be scrutinizing the walls. She felt her heartbeat quicken. He lingered for a long time, eyeing the walls carefully.

She released a sigh of relief when he finally returned to her and sat on the edge of the bed again.

"Who were you talking to?" he asked.

"My guardian," she answered.

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: Chapter 14 follows.


	14. Impasse

A/N: New chapter.

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 14: Impasse**

Mushu. Mulan had a guardian named Mushu. Was it possible that his father's guardian Jie had been real? If so, where was he? How could he have disappeared and let his father get killed?

Shang sighed and remained leaning against the panel in the dark chamber, trying to listen to what was going on in the other room, on the other side of the wall. Though he could hear who each voice belonged to as they spoke, the sound was muffled now. They must have been speaking softly. Though sometimes the pitch of the voices raised and he could make out words, it was impossible to get the whole sentence and he was unable to grasp the context of the words, or their conversation.

He finally gave up, leaning against the wall and sulking, thinking again about the interaction he'd had with Mulan. He had come to help her because she helped him and had ended up fighting with her once more.

He sighed again and shook his head. What was wrong with him? Why did he keep fighting with her? Why did everything she said and did make the anger flare up inside of him again? Even the fact that she had risked her life for him, though it touched him deeply, infuriated him.

He remained deep in thought as he waited in the dark, troubled by his own feelings, eventually drifting off to sleep as drowsiness overtook him and his thoughts ran together in a blur.

**xxxxxxx**

"Your guardian?" Shan-Yu repeated amused.

"Yes."

Mushu poked his head out just a little bit. "What are you doing, Mulan?" he whispered.

"Interesting," he answered, looking around the room.

Mulan took the opportunity to shove Mushu's head back under the pillow when Shan-Yu looked away.

"So, you want to know my side of the story."

She nodded.

"The name that your people have come up with to describe us is over-general and quite rude. _Xiongnu_. We do not refer to the Chinese in such an uncomplimentary way. There are many tribes that live to the north of your borders. I myself am actually of mixed blood, descended from more than one of those tribes. As I explained earlier, we have treaties with each other and treaties with the Hans in the north. The Emperors of your country have a terrible habit of meddling."

"But this Emperor…"

"Was the worst of all," he interrupted her. "He constantly interfered and his men that he posted along the borders constantly stirred up trouble in our communities."

"He was worried about your people attacking."

"So his defense was an offense!" he retorted.

"And your army destroying that village…"

"Give it a rest!" he shouted. "Your army did that to our villages! The troop was stationed at that village when we got there and we had no choice but to fight or go home! And I was _not_ going home!"

A distant and anguished expression crossed his features and the thought crossed her mind that he had lost someone close to him.

"Were you married?" she asked suddenly without even thinking. She didn't know what had made her ask it. The words had just come out.

He stiffened and stared at her in shock. "What would make you ask a thing like that?" he finally asked, his brow darkening with anger.

She shrugged. "You looked upset. I thought…"

"You will never ask me such a thing as that again!" he interrupted, curtly.

"I'm sorry," she whispered timidly, truly wishing she hadn't asked.

She averted her eyes. Although she was tense being there, knowing that at any time he could force himself on her, she knew that her fear of him had lessened in the time she had spent with him. She wondered if maybe she was getting too sure of herself, asking him such a personal thing.

"Many of us lost family members and friends," he continued, his voice softening now. "I did as well."

"I'm sorry," she said again, but she genuinely meant it for him this time.

He leaned toward her and placed his hands on her shoulders, his face coming toward hers. Her hand involuntarily went up in front of her own lips, stopping his face as his lips came near hers, blocking him from her, and she turned to face to the side. He took her hand and moved it away. Her neck tensed as she still held her face turned away, trying to avoid at all costs letting his lips touch hers.

Once again there was banging on the door to the outside chamber and Mulan heaved a sigh of relief as Shan-Yu leaped up, cursing furiously.

"This had better be good news!" she heard him mutter as he exited her chamber.

Mushu leaped out. "Mulan, you have to get away from him."

"It's okay, Mushu."

"Okay? He was just going to…"

"Mushu, you have to get inside the wall and help Shang to get out of here. I told you, Shan-Yu's men are looking for him."

"What is wrong with you? You care more about his life than your own?"

"Just do it, Mushu. I don't have a reason to be worried about my life. He won't hurt me. I know he won't. Get Shang out of here and lead him to the others. Yao, Ling and Chien-Po. He is a leader. If there is anyone that would be able to organize those people into a fighting unit, it's Shang."

"You know I'm completely against this, Mulan."

"I'll be alright, I promise."

"I'm coming back here as soon as I leave him with the others."

He slid aside the panel that they'd seen Shang move earlier and disappeared inside the wall. Mulan shut the panel silently behind him.

**xxxxxxx**

Boke led Shan-Yu to the room where the commander had been held. The wall was now open.

"It's a trick door," Boke told him, indicating the panel that was part of the wall. "The passageway leads on for I don't know how long."

"Let's go."

Shan-Yu held out his arm to his faithful falcon that Boke and his men had used to sniff the wall.

"Lead the way, Suren."

The falcon obeyed his master and flew slowly through the passage, catching the scent of their new prey and leading the way to him.

**xxxxxxx**

"Shang."

Shang's eyes fluttered open and he blinked at the golden eyes that were gleaming at him in the dark.

He sat up with a start.

"They're coming to find you, Shang. You need to get out of here."

"What?" he asked in confusion.

He heard an exasperated sigh in the dark. "You really need to get your act together, Shang. Your father had a lot of pride in you when he was alive. Just because he's gone, doesn't mean you should just give up."

A flint was struck suddenly and the room became dimly lit.

"Jie?" he exclaimed, staring at the tiger before him.

"Did you hear me, Shang? You need to leave."

"You're Jie, aren't you?"

"Shang, get up and get out of here."

"I can't leave her."

"Who? The girl you keep fighting with?" the tiger replied, laughing.

Shang didn't answer. He was still wondering if this was Jie, or if it was some other tiger guardian that had come to him.

"Yes, I am Jie."

"You were my father's guardian. Your job was to look after him. Why did you let him die?" he whispered.

"I didn't, Shang. Your father became too sure of himself and stopped listening to me. And right now you are making the opposite mistake. What would he think if he knew that you had just given up like this?"

"Are you here to be my guardian now?"

"No. I'm just giving you a warning. And I'm not really here, Shang. You're dreaming."

Shang opened his eyes and blinked rapidly. The image of the tiger before him was gone and he suddenly found himself staring at the little dragon Mushu that he'd seen with Mulan.

**xxxxxxx**

Mulan jumped as the wall behind her opened, revealing the inner chamber where Shang had been hiding. Shan-Yu stepped into the room, two men with him. She recognized his falcon, now perched on his master's shoulders.

"So, he led you here, did he?" Shan-Yu commented, reaching over and patting his bird on the head affectionately. "Nice work, Suren."

"Shouldn't we search the room?"

"No, Boke. He's not in the room anymore. He was hiding in that chamber that we just came out of. He may have been in this room, but I'm sure he's long gone."

He strode over to her closet again, opening it and inspecting the inside. Mulan watched him, wondering where Shang had gone. Obviously they hadn't found him in the chamber behind the wall and he hadn't come back out into her room. Mushu must have somehow gotten him away via the inner passageway.

Shan-Yu now walked to the door leading out of her chamber and made a clicking sound with his tongue to the falcon, indicating the large room. But the falcon turned in the opposite direction and fluttered straight over to Mulan. She cringed and tried to protect her face as the large bird batted her head with his wing, perching himself on her shoulder and squawking at his master, who was eyeing her curiously.

"He was in the bed with her?" the man that he had called Boke asked.

Shan-Yu turned to him and slapped him in the face. "Get out of here. Make yourself useful and organize a team to start searching the grounds outside."

Boke hurried out of the room with the other man, leaving the two of them alone again.

"My falcon apparently picked up the scent of the commander on you, Mulan. Either that or he knows you from some place."

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: More to follow shortly. A little note about the word _Xiongnu_: That is the term that the Chinese used for one of the tribes in the north that generally described the Huns as far as I know. I'm not sure, but I read some place that the word means something like 'fierce slaves'. If anyone knows of a more accurate meaning, please let me know.


	15. Changes

A/N: Thanks to all for reading and reviewing. And special thanks to **Taulai** for providing a more accurate translation of **_Xiongnu_: nasty vermin**. Even more derogatory than the translation I had originally found.

Also, adding a **warning**: this is a darker fic as I indicated in the summary and there will be subject matter in this story, starting in this chapter, that may disturb some readers. Something happens in this chapter (not graphic) that can be implied as a possible rape. While I appreciate all who read my stories, I don't want anyone to be traumatized by them. You may not want to read further if you are someone who would be disturbed and upset by the subject matter.

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 15: Changes**

"Not bad, huh?" the little dragon said with a self-satisfied smirk.

"No, not bad," Shang muttered, stamping out the myriad flavors of incense that Mushu had kindled in the passageway in order to confuse the falcon with a different scent. He blinked and rubbed his temples, dizzy from the fumes and the mixture of scents that overwhelmed him. "And you found an empty room."

The last of the incense was out and he turned to look at Mushu, shaking his head, still bewildered by the guardian's actual existence. The dragon peered back at him defiantly.

"What?" he demanded.

Shang shook his head again and stepped out of the hidden passageway and into the room, closing the panel behind him. He surveyed the chamber. It was another windowless room and it obviously belonged to one of the concubines judging from the décor; and the scent - the room even smelled like sex. Where the occupant of the room was now, in the middle of the night, was beyond him.

Mushu hopped over to the door. "I'll check that the corridor is clear. Although you're in a Hun uniform, so you may be able to get out of here without raising any suspicions even if you are seen. Just act natural."

"What about Mulan? I can't leave her. And you're _her_ guardian. Why aren't you staying with her?"

"Look, I don't like this any more than you do. But she told me that your life is in danger and she thinks that hers isn't. She refused to leave."

"She refused?"

"And she insisted that I take you to the others. But I'm not going to do that because I need to get back to her. All you need to know is that Yao, Ling and Chien-Po are on their way here, coming via the Tung Shao Pass; you know how to get there to intercept them by yourself. They're trying to organize a revolt in the provinces and they need someone to lead them. She believes that someone would be you."

"I can't lead anyone," Shang muttered sadly, shaking his head again. He sighed. "The Emperor is dead because of me, because I couldn't save him. I led my troops to their death..."

"Man, will you cut it out? You really like feeling sorry for yourself, don't you?" Mushu commented, his tone harsh. "I don't know what she sees in you."

"I'm not feeling sorry for myself, I just…" Shang stopped, suddenly registering what he had said, and blinked at him, stunned. "What…? What she sees in me…?"

Mushu rolled his eyes and waved his hand dismissively at him, opening the door a crack and peering out into the corridor.

"Alright, it's clear. Let's go."

Shang moved to the door and peeked out, then stepped out, walking nonchalantly down the hall, Mushu perched inside his collar. He found a stairway and descended them, keeping his face hidden as several Hun soldiers appeared at the bottom, conferring with one soldier who must have been a leader. He reached the bottom of the stairs and joined the group of soldiers, listening as the leader gave instructions in a completely unfamiliar tongue.

The leader pointed to him and the man next to him, said something and pointed in one direction. Though Shang didn't understand the language, he instinctively picked up what was going on and went with the other man that the leader had pointed to.

He saw that the man was heading toward the front door and glanced around. The rest of the group had dispersed. It was the middle of the night and the corridor was empty now. Shang let the other man get ahead of him, then grabbed him from behind swiftly, locking his arm around the man's neck and squeezing it. The man struggled and Shang tightened his grip until he felt him finally go limp. He dragged the man across the floor and hid him behind a column, then hurried out the front door.

"Man, I wouldn't want you angry at me," Mushu muttered.

Shang made his way across the square, staying in the shadows, sneaking into the palace stable.

"What are you doing?"

"I need a horse."

"Mulan left Khan at the stream in the forest, near the gate."

He didn't answer, entering the stable quietly. He approached one of the stallions, speaking softly to it and patting it, letting the horse become familiar with him. Then he led it out, walking with it toward the city gate, continuing to stay in the shadows as much as he could.

There were guards posted at the gate.

"Now what?"

Shang pondered something for a minute. Then he mounted the stallion and kicked it, tugging at the reins and sending the horse into a gallop.

"What are you doing?" Mushu exclaimed. "They're going to know that you're leaving and where you're going!"

The guards began to shout at him, but he ignored them and galloped through the gate, disappearing into the forest. He halted the horse and dismounted, then sent the stallion galloping, rider less, in the same direction that he'd been heading.

"Shang, what…"

"Quiet," Shang ordered sharply, cutting him off.

He disappeared into a thicket and waited quietly hidden as the sound of galloping hooves approached. He heard the riders shouting in the Hun language and saw their outlines as they thundered past, following the prints of the stallion that had continued on in the direction that they assumed he had taken.

He waited until the sound of the hooves was long gone, then quietly told Mushu to lead him to Khan.

The large black steed was drinking from the stream when they found him. Mushu called to him and approached him with no caution whatsoever, and Khan raised his head and snorted at him with disdain, attempting to bite him.

"We're trying to help Mulan, Khan. Don't be so stubborn," Mushu snapped at the horse.

Shang approached Khan slowly, speaking softly to him. The steed looked at him suspiciously and neighed.

"Khan," he continued softly but firmly, looking him straight in the eye. The horse appeared to be less uneasy once eye contact was made. Shang was able to get close enough to touch him and he reached up, stroking the steed's mane gently and continuing to speak to him quietly.

He mounted the large black steed, taking a minute to adjust to being on such a large horse, much larger than the Imperial stallions he was used to riding. Then he headed off in the opposite direction from where he'd been riding, skirting the walls of the city and heading toward the Tung Shao Pass.

"Mushu."

Mushu poked his head out of his collar.

"I'm heading toward the pass now to meet the others. You don't need to stay with me. Get back to Mulan. I will come back as soon as I can and help to get her out of there."

"You don't need to tell me twice."

**xxxxxxx**

"Suren."

Shan-Yu clicked his tongue and the falcon left his perch on Mulan's shoulder and flew to his master.

He stroked the bird's head again, then gestured toward the door and made another sound with his tongue. The falcon flew to the outer chamber.

Mulan's mind was racing, trying to decide if it would be worse for him to know that Shang was there or for him to know that she was the soldier that had fired the cannon and buried his army. She had already told him that she didn't want Shang harmed, and decided that would be the better choice.

"The commander was here. I sent him away. I told you, I didn't want him harmed."

Shan-Yu's eyebrows went up and an expression of disbelief flitted across his face. He suppressed it immediately and began to chuckle.

Mulan stared at him in confusion. He crossed over to the bed and sat beside her again.

"I wonder why he came here."

She remained silent for a minute, thinking carefully, realizing with amusement that he might have been jealous of Shang. Shan-Yu didn't know that all Shang did was fight with her. There was nothing for anyone to be jealous of.

"He wanted me to go with him," she told him finally.

His eyebrows went up again in surprise. Then he began to laugh heartily once more and before she knew it he had grabbed her shoulders and pulled her against his body, embracing her and placing his lips on hers, forcing her lips to part open.

His lips felt rough and her lips and the skin around them felt raw from the kisses he placed on them. She was surprised to find that it wasn't unpleasant and found herself giving in for a moment; but she stopped herself, knowing in her mind that she had to fight him. She struggled, trying to turn her face away, twisting her body and trying to squirm out of his grip. He began to laugh, grabbing her around the waist tightly, not letting her go.

"Ah, you are a fighter…I'm so glad that you decided to stay here with me instead of leaving with him."

**xxxxxxx**

Mulan didn't want to be completely in the dark. She lay awake despite the fact that it had been a long night and she should have been tired, the lantern still burning, glancing at the top of her closet every once in awhile where Shan-Yu's falcon was perched. The bird's eyes were closed, but when she sat up and shifted to the edge of the bed, one eye immediately opened vigilantly.

She sighed and lay back down, watching the falcon. His other eye had opened and he had moved to the edge of his perch, appearing as if he were about to swoop down. A flash of red caught her eye and she realized that Mushu had returned. The falcon had seen him.

"Okay, Mulan, Shang is on his way to the others. I led him to Khan and he's riding him. He had an Imperial stallion, but he sent it off in a different direction to throw the guards at the gate off and make them think he rode that way."

She nodded. "Okay, Mushu. Be still now, so you don't create a stir…"

Mushu was continuing to talk, not realizing that she'd even said anything.

"Now we have to get you out of here. Shan-Yu is asleep. If you're quiet, we can sneak out past him and you can climb out the window."

"Mushu, I can't leave. I'm being watched. And so are you."

"What?"

She gestured to the top of the closet where the falcon had remained, observing Mushu warily.

Mushu groaned. "The falcon."

"Even before this, he has always had his men watching me. Since he found me."

"I didn't see anyone…"

"I didn't always see them either, and I've been allowed to move about freely since I came. But I know they were there, keeping an eye on me."

"And now he has the falcon watching you?"

"He thinks Shang will try to come back here. The falcon is here to catch him if he does."

"Maybe I can distract him and you can get out through the passageway. I'll join you after I take care of that bird and lead you the same way I took Shang."

"No. He'll just start squawking."

He sighed. "We've got to get you out of here."

"It's okay, Mushu. I can be of help from here, maybe even more so than if I were out there with them. I'm on the inside. I can see what's going on. I hear his conversations. If you would be willing to act as a go-between, you could pass the information to Shang."

"I don't like the idea of leaving you alone."

"You could come back after you get the information to them."

"Well, Shang is on his way to the others and hopefully he can lead them, as you say. If you have anything for me to tell them, I'll do it."

"Thanks, Mushu."

"I have to tell you though, Mulan, Shang really is a big baby. At least now he's finally stopped feeling sorry for himself and is taking action…"

Mushu trailed off and Mulan turned her face away, realizing that he'd seen her tears. Her guardian hopped over to see her face, looking at her closely.

"What is it? Shan-Yu didn't harm you while I was gone, did he?"

She shook her head, lowering her gaze away from his, feeling her face grow pink. Her skin and her lips still felt raw from the touch of his lips on them.

"Mulan, what happened?" her guardian asked in alarm.

"Nothing."

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: More to follow shortly.


	16. Perspective

A/N: Thanks to all for reading and reviewing.

**General warning to all**: there is subject matter in this fic that might disturb some readers, including elements of depression, and thoughts and behavior that may be seen as self-destructive. It is not explicit (I think), but it is there. I appreciate everyone that reads my stories, but I certainly don't want to traumatize anyone. If you think you may be upset by the story, you might want to choose to not continue reading.

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 16: Perspective**

Mulan placed her hands against her head trying to shut Mushu out as he continued to press her with questions. She needed to make sense of everything, and in order to do that she needed quiet.

"You're really scaring me, Mulan," he continued to nag. "Did he attack you?"

She shook her head. "Mushu, please just be quiet for a minute."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Look, I'm just worried about you. Tell me what happened. You know I'm on your side, no matter what."

"I know."

She sat up and he climbed up, hugging her.

"What's this?" he exclaimed suddenly, examining her neck and gesturing frantically. "Is that a bite mark? He bit you?"

Mulan gave him a look and he backed off.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry. I'll just listen and I won't give you a hard time."

"Shan-Yu's men used the falcon to track Shang. He led them here."

"Of course. He was here."

"Yes. And then he flew onto my shoulder and started squawking."

"He did…?"

"Yes. I think he picked up Shang's scent on me."

"On you?" Mushu leaped up. "Just how close did Shang get to you? Is he the one who bit you?"

"Mushu. Shang grabbed me from behind when he came in here. I thought he was one of Shan-Yu's men attacking me and I fought with him. He pulled me onto the floor and he was on top of me. So his scent was on me."

Mushu was staring at her through narrowed eyes. She ignored his expression, continuing her train of thought.

"Or else the falcon recognized me. From the mountains. When Shan-Yu came in and asked me about it…I thought it would be better to tell him that Shang had come to get me out of here instead of letting on that the falcon might have recognized me."

"And?"

"And that's it."

He folded his arms and stared at her. "You wouldn't be so upset if that was it. Did he rape you?"

"No!" she exclaimed quickly.

He eyed her suspiciously.

"No," she repeated, her voice softer. "He didn't. But he thinks that I chose to stay here with him instead of going with Shang…because I wanted to be with him."

"He thinks you like him like that?" he asked, his voice two octaves higher than usual.

"Yes…that's what he thinks," she answered, her voice almost a whisper.

Mushu still kept his steady, concerned gaze on her.

"I have to go to sleep, Mushu. It's been a very long night."

There were certain things that had to remain unspoken, things that she just couldn't tell her guardian or anyone, things that she could barely explain to herself.

She lay back down and Mushu darted under the covers, remaining quiet and leaving her be. She put an arm around him and held him against her body as if she were a little girl cuddling a stuffed animal.

She remained awake for a long time, the tears flowing from her eyes again, trying to understand herself, lost in confusion and mourning over the loss of something that had been inside of her that was gone, something she couldn't put her finger on.

It did start out with him grabbing her into an embrace and pressing his lips against hers before she knew it, but Shan-Yu hadn't forced himself on her. He did seem to think that he had a right to her because she had chosen to stay there with him instead of escaping with Shang. But she did very little to try to alter that viewpoint. She gave in with much less of a fight than she should have, she thought with a stabbing feeling of guilt and self-disappointment.

She had been completely infatuated with Shang for a long time now. That hadn't changed, though she knew he hated her and though he had been on the verge of executing her. His look of anger and hatred of her as he stood over her in the mountains and his obvious disapproval of her cut her much deeper than the sight of him holding a sword over her head. It was the expression on his face and the look in his eyes that haunted her dreams, not the fear from her near death.

When they were fighting earlier in his room the moment he leaned in close her heartbeat and her breath quickened, she felt her skin grow hot and her chin quivered. It was completely involuntary. Even when they were on the floor struggling, his body pressed against hers and his lips almost touching her, barely brushing her ear, there was no denying how Shang made her feel and the feeling had somehow stayed with her.

She had fought Shan-Yu at first because she knew she ought to; but the truth was that kissing him wasn't unpleasant as she thought it would be. She actually found that she liked it. And everything else he did. He just seemed to know all the right places to stroke her and kiss her, and exactly the right way to do it. Her flesh still hummed with the memory of the sensations.

And now she found that she had thoughts of both men in her head at the same time.

It didn't even hurt, as she expected her first time would after listening to the things her mother told her. If she was a truly honorable woman, she would have been with her husband first and only, as she'd been taught. She wasn't even supposed to be thinking about these things yet alone doing them. But it didn't matter really; there would be no husband for her. She was never suitable wife material, not before and certainly not now.

Just like Bi and the girls that she took in off the street.

She sighed softly, a dull ache in her chest as the memory of her mother's words made her think of home and the dishonor that she had brought upon herself and her family because of everything that had happened, something that didn't even seem to make a difference anymore now that a stranger had seized the throne and she had no hope of ever going home again. After all, Shan-Yu wasn't going to execute her for being a woman who joined the army. But he probably would keep her there; at least until he either got tired of her or killed her because he discovered who she was.

At least Shang was safe. She was glad about that. But it made her sad that, in a way, so many other things didn't seem to matter anymore.

"Mulan?" Mushu's soft voice broke the silent darkness and interrupted her brooding.

"What, Mushu?"

"Did Shan-Yu see your bandage?"

"He knew it was there. He felt it whenever he put his arm around my waist, and I could tell he was curious about it."

"What did he say when he saw it?"

"Nothing. He didn't ask about it or anything."

"He may. What will you do then?"

"I'll tell him I was injured in a fall."

"What if he tries to remove it?"

"He wouldn't."

**xxxxxxx**

Powerful Khan galloped steadily away from the city and by the time the sun was coming up he was already beginning to ascend the mountains. The steed seemed to accept what Mulan's guardian had said about them helping her, and he followed Shang's commands even though he wasn't his master.

The others would be several days getting to the Imperial City, being on foot, at least according to what Mushu had said. He would meet them first. He stopped by a stream to let Khan drink some water and graze. Mulan's packs were still saddled on him and Shang removed them and rifled through them for supplies that he needed. He found flints and some dry food in there along with her armor and her soldier's tunic, covered with the dried blood from her wound. A stab of guilt and regret swept through him and he felt an ache in his chest. He shoved the tunic down to the bottom of the pack so he wouldn't see it again and shook his head, swallowing hard, pushing aside the feelings that the sight had stirred up.

He caught a fish for himself and started a fire to cook his breakfast. Khan finished drinking and glanced back at him, snorting at him enigmatically while he ate his meal. Shang didn't know what to make of it. He had always noticed how loyal and protective Khan was of ' Ping'. He wondered if the steed recognized him as the one that had held the sword over his mistress's head.

He sighed and shut his eyes, forcing the image and the nagging guilt away from his consciousness.

He mounted Khan after he'd eaten his fill and put out the fire, continuing up the mountain, stopping only to let Khan graze and get more water.

He found a place to rest for the night after the sun had set, in an area of the mountain that was thick with trees. The small tent that Mulan had slept in at camp had also been packed on Khan along with a couple of blankets. He pitched the tent and tossed the blankets inside, crawling in and lying on his side, drawing his knees up toward his chest so his feet wouldn't be sticking out of the opening of a tent that wasn't long enough for his body. He set his father's sword on the ground beside him.

He lay awake for a long time, thinking about Wu Zhong. He remembered standing in the middle of the camp some nights among the tents belonging to all the soldiers, staring curiously at this small tent that belonged to ' Ping', all the way up on the hill, removed from everyone else. It had always puzzled him the way Ping had isolated himself from the others all the time. Now he knew why.

The image of Mulan in the small chamber came to his mind and he made a silent prayer that Mushu would see to it that she was alright. He still couldn't imagine why she would insist on staying in the palace with Shan-Yu instead of escaping with him and he felt uneasy with the fact that he'd left the city and hadn't taken her with him. She seemed more concerned about his life than about her own and he couldn't understand that at all. Why did she want to help someone who had almost killed her by his own hand, and that had then so callously left her in the mountains to die instead?

She had survived, though. She had persevered with the same dogged determination and courage that she'd had at camp. But she'd done more than just survive. She had actually risked her life and had come back to help him and her comrades instead of just going home. She really was like no other woman, no other person he'd ever known.

He remembered Mushu's words suddenly, that he didn't know what she saw in him. What was that about?

He suddenly felt desperately worried for her now, trapped in that room with Shan-Yu. He hoped that Mushu would do a better job at protecting her than Jie had done for his father. Though if the dream he'd been having had been any indication of reality, it wasn't Jie's fault. Dream or no dream, he knew it was true that his father was just too sure of himself and it would make sense that he didn't listen to advice, even from a guardian.

"I know he was arrogant," Shang muttered to himself bitterly. "He even had to have a sword that was different from anyone else's."

He sighed and pulled Mulan's blankets tighter around him, noticing that they smelled like her. The same way her hair had smelled when he had wrestled her to the floor and lay on top of her the night before, bringing his face close to hers to whisper in her ear.

It was morning suddenly and Shang was waking before he even realized he'd fallen asleep.

**xxxxxxx**

Shan-Yu sat beside her on the edge of her bed again that night. Mulan tensely glanced toward the closet.

"I won't hurt you, Mulan. You know that. You enjoyed this as much as I did. And I'm glad that you did."

He reached over and began to massage the back of her neck.

"You see? Even though you think I'm the enemy, I can be nice. Nothing is so black and white."

She silently gestured to the falcon, perched on top of her closet, his new permanent post.

The deep rumble of laughter that she was becoming accustomed to filled the room. It was almost a musical sound.

"He won't hurt you either," he whispered, moving his hand from her neck to her face and stroking her cheek gently.

"He's guarding me."

"No, he's here in the event that the commander shows up back here. My men are still looking for him in the palace, but I'm sure he has made his way out of here, probably even out of the city."

His hand left her cheek and suddenly his arm snaked around her waist, pulling her against him. She caught a glimpse of Mushu who had poked his head out from under the pillow and stared at her. He was about to crawl out and make himself known but she shook her head slightly. He gave her a questioning look and disappeared. She sighed inwardly, knowing that she was going to hear it from him later.

"I know that he will return for you. And when he does, I will be ready for him."

His fingers moved over her torso to where her bandage was and he ran his hand along the edge of it through her clothing. Her hands moved quickly to remove his.

"What happened to you?" he asked softly, the first time he'd spoken aloud of it.

Her mind froze in its tracks for a moment, then she remembered what she had planned to say if that question came up.

"I was injured in a fall."

He was watching her closely, scrutinizing her. She returned his intense gaze, studying his face. The first time she ever saw him she thought he was fierce-looking. She didn't think so now.

His hand made its way back to the bandage and she felt his fingers stroking the area again.

"Don't. It hurts."

He moved his hand and she decided to change the subject and get his mind off of it.

"What else will you do?" she asked.

"What?"

"Well, you're the Emperor now. The leader of our country. How will you lead us?"

"Ah, another game to distract me?"

She raised her eyebrows, trying unsuccessfully to appear as if she didn't know what he was talking about. But she was genuinely curious to know what his plans were.

"I really want to know."

He chuckled and spoke in a low, smoky tone. "Okay, we'll play the game your way for now."

She watched him, waiting for him to respond to her question.

"Well, I haven't thought about it yet," he finally answered, frowning slightly. "It will be different."

"You've been concentrating on getting revenge against the former Emperor. Now that the conflict is all over, you're not sure what the next step is. You don't know what to do now that there's no fight. Is that it?"

He stared at her in disbelief.

"Who _are_ you, Mulan?"

She looked at him quizzically and he laughed, shaking his head.

"The things you ask and say. You really are unique. Not what anyone would expect from one of the Emperor's concubines. But then again, I realized right away that you were not one of the Emperor's concubines."

She remained quiet, still staring at him with curiosity, and his laughter subsided after a few moments.

"No, I'm not sure what the next step is," he conceded, answering her question.

He was gazing at her quietly, wonderingly, and she hoped that she hadn't ticked him off again.

"You are a very unusual woman, Mulan, and you raise a very interesting point. But it is something I will discuss with my men. There are other things I'd rather discuss with you."

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: More to follow shortly.


	17. Bitter Reunion

A/N: Thanks again to all for continuing to read and review. Another chapter up!

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 17: Bitter Reunion**

"I'm sure the commander has left the city, Batu," Shan-Yu told his master archer and council as they stood on the balcony overlooking the square. "But I expect that he will return for her. Suren will remain in the room to warn me if he shows up there."

"And you still want the same men to keep an eye on Mulan?"

"Yes."

They watched the crowd in the square and along the adjoining streets. It was a sunny, mild day and the market was bustling. Some of Boke's soldiers remained posted around the square to keep order, but the throng of people in the market presented no threat of a battle. They were merchants and buyers, interested in carrying on business as usual not starting a rebellion; and the soldiers had been specifically ordered to merely keep the peace and not to use force against the civilians.

"She is not a palace concubine. I don't know who she is."

"But you're sure that you've seen her before this?"

"Definitely. I don't know where, but I've seen her. And the questions she asks…she's no ordinary girl."

"Do you think she was working as an Imperial spy?" Batu suggested.

"It's possible, but I doubt it. She's innocent, and it's not an act. And she's a little too clumsy about the way she comes out with her questions to be a professional spy. But she's very smart and…she has interesting things to say. She asked me what I will do now that I am the leader of the country. I don't know why she would care."

"Maybe the old Emperor was her father? Or a relative?"

Shan-Yu rubbed his chin. "That hadn't occurred to me. But it would make as much sense as anything else."

"If that is the case, you should be careful of her motives."

"Agreed. But I don't want her harmed."

"If she tries to harm you…"

"She won't. What else?"

"We've sent men out to contact the leaders of the provinces, as we discussed, and to give those leaders the new orders. They're prepared to fight in the event that the people in the provinces are disagreeable to the new regime."

"Good. Hopefully there will not be any fighting. If the local leaders are willing to serve one Emperor as easily as another, we'll have a much smoother transition."

Batu studied his friend and leader, who seemed to have gone a little mad. For as long as he had known him Shan-Yu had never been one to resolve anything peacefully and without force, often seeking a reason to fight, and he wondered if this girl Mulan was having some sort of odd, magical effect on him.

He knew very little of Shan-Yu's personal life and would never ask. He did know now, had found out quite recently in fact, that his friend had been married at one time and that he had lost his wife. Though he knew nothing about the details of her death, he had a sense that she had been killed in one of the conflicts that had occurred so often among their communities at the hands of Imperial guards sent to keep order in the areas along the border.

Shan-Yu's fierceness in battle came as much from his anger and bitterness at what had happened as it did from his natural gift as a master of the art of war. Still, Batu had always felt that when it was possible, avoiding conflict was imminently preferable. There had already been too much bloodshed and if this is what his leader wanted now, it was fine with him.

"Peace is always preferable," Batu agreed.

**xxxxxxx**

Mulan strolled through the palace garden trying to appear nonchalant and glancing around casually. There were guards posted everywhere. None of them were specifically watching her, but she was sure that she was being observed carefully by someone.

"Mulan."

She took a seat on a bench under an orange blossom tree as her guardian reappeared.

"Be careful, Mulan. Shan-Yu sees right through the questions you ask him. And Batu thinks that you might be the former Emperor's daughter. Or some other relative."

Her eyes widened at that.

"I wonder where he came up with that idea?" she mused.

Mulan listened carefully as Mushu reported to her the entire conversation between Shan-Yu and Batu.

"Interesting," she said finally. "It sounds like he at least wants to attempt to rule wisely."

"Maybe. But I don't care about that. My concern is you, Mulan. I don't know what is happening to you. You're…different somehow…and I'm really worried about you. And what if you're pregnant?"

She gasped. She hadn't thought about that at all. What was wrong with her?

"I know things have turned out really badly. But you don't seem to have any control anymore…not even of yourself."

He climbed up to her shoulder and hugged her. She closed her eyes and hugged her friend back.

"This is my fate, I guess. I just have to accept it with dignity and grace, and do what I can to make things right. Besides, chances are good that I may not be pregnant," she added, hopeful at the sudden realization. "Ever since I joined the army and started working out so much, I haven't been getting…"

"Alright, alright, I don't need to hear about the details," he interrupted, putting his hands over his ears.

"Still, just in case, Mushu, would you be willing to go back to Bi at the tavern and talk to her for me?"

"Why Bi?"

"Because…she would know what to do…her girls would be getting pregnant all of the time otherwise, so there must be some way that…well, I just think that she would be able to tell me what to do."

He stared at her for a minute, then nodded. "Yes, she would know. But I would have to leave you to go back to her."

"That's okay. I may need you to leave to get a message to Shang and the others anyway."

"No…it's not okay," Mushu insisted. "I want to stay with you, at least for a little while. I'm very concerned about you right now and I need to keep an eye on you."

**xxxxxxx**

Shang stopped when he reached the snow-covered pass. He made a fire and sat down to eat some dry food and drink some water. This was the place where Mulan had been treated for her wound, where the truth of her deception had been revealed, where he'd almost killed her. He shivered, more from the memories of this spot than from the cold.

The sound of voices and the crunching of snow under footsteps interrupted his somber reminisce and he stood up quickly, recognizing Yao's gruff voice.

"Hey, it's Khan."

"Mulan?"

There was the sound of hurrying footsteps struggling through the snow and the three of them appeared, approaching the plateau, looking excited to see their friend and comrade. Yao and Ling's expressions fell when they saw it was him, and without Mulan. They were followed by a motley group of men that looked nothing like soldiers.

"Captain?" Chien-Po exclaimed. "It's good to see that you're alright. Where are the others?"

Shang shook his head. "They were killed."

"Did you see Mulan?" Ling asked.

"She's still at the palace," Shang answered.

"You left her there?" he exclaimed, shocked. "With Shan-Yu? An innocent girl like that…do you know what he will do to her? What he's probably already done?"

"She insisted that she should stay and I should go."

"And you went along with it and left her there?" Yao repeated, his anger rising visibly. "She went to help you and now you left her trapped there, with that monster?"

"How could you leave her in the palace and escape yourself?" Ling repeated, a look of disgust on his face.

"I tried to take her with me. She insisted on staying. Her guardian…oh, maybe you don't know…"

"We know about Mushu," Chien-Po answered.

"She told Mushu to help me escape and take me to you. I knew where to go to meet you, so he went right back to her. He told me that he tried to convince her to leave, but she wouldn't come with me."

"Well, can you blame her for that?" Yao scoffed. "Look at how you treated her. She saved your life and you almost killed her! Maybe she's better off with Shan-Yu than with you."

Shang froze completely, feeling his face begin to flame with guilt, humiliation and indignation as both Yao and Ling suddenly laced into him with an onslaught of accusations and blame.

"You held a sword over her head."

"You let Chi Fu throw her around in the snow and the cold like that and expose her in such a despicable manner."

"But I couldn't…I didn't kill her," he sputtered indignantly in an attempt to protest. He felt the heat of humiliation and anger burning through him, emanating down his back and radiating into his entire body. "I spared her life."

Ling snorted. "Yeah, you left her here in the cold and the snow to freeze to death on her own instead."

"Do you know how sick she had been when we found her? Do you have any idea, Pretty Boy?"

Shang closed his eyes for a moment, groaning involuntarily at the image of her lying in the snow, ill. He knew what he had done; he was painfully aware of everything that he had done. Why did they have to rub it in? He already felt terrible enough about it. And at least he hadn't killed her, even with Chi Fu pressuring him. He had dropped the sword and had spared her life in return for her saving his. And she'd survived. Wasn't that what was important?

He turned on both of them, consumed with raw anguish and rage.

"The law said I had to execute her!" he retorted furiously. "I didn't…but I couldn't do more for her! This was the only way…"

"She saved our troop in the Tung Shao Pass and you kicked her out of the army!" Yao growled, hoarsely. "She told you her reason for doing it. It was a good reason. Any filial daughter would have done that. And you condemned her! You condemned and abandoned her!"

"Do you realize that if she had come to the Imperial City with us, she might have actually come up with a plan to stop Shan-Yu from killing the Emperor? No one else thought of firing that cannon at the mountain peak," Ling continued to press hotly. "We would have all died here! And when we returned to the city, she found a way to get into the palace without anyone seeing her even. Do you realize how smart she is? She might have come up with a strategy to get in and save the Emperor!"

Shang wanted to punch them both out. It was no different than if they rubbed salt on an open wound in his skin, but it was inside instead, a heavy, aching weight in his chest that they kept twisting a sharp knife into with every accusation they made. He wanted to answer but Yao was assailing him again before he had a chance to even open his mouth.

"She was a good soldier and you know it, Pretty Boy! She saved all of our lives here and deserved so much better, and that's how you went and treated her!"

Shang felt himself breaking under the pressure of the guilt, guilt that had already been gnawing at him relentlessly even when he wasn't aware of it and the added guilt that they were laying on him as they ganged up on him now; and he'd had it with being called 'Pretty Boy' too. Yao must have noticed his expression because he pounced once more.

"What's the matter? Is it too difficult for you to hear this now, Pretty Boy?"

"Stop calling me that!" he roared. "I didn't have a choice…it was out of my control. Chi Fu was there, insisting that I kill her…he was the Emperor's council…the only solution was to…I don't need you to pound it into me, I know what I did! I'm sorry!"

"You should be apologizing to her, not to us!"

Chien-Po interrupted, his soft voice now quietly firm.

"Enough of this. Yao, Ling, be calm. The captain obviously feels bad about Mulan, and this brawling and arguing is getting us nowhere. We need to work together and the captain is the one who can organize and lead us."

"Ha!" Yao retorted with disdain. "The hell with the captain!"

There was an icy silence for several minutes and Shang realized that the group of men that had come with the soldiers was still waiting there, staring stunned at the scene and at a complete loss as to what to do.

"Mulan asked me to come to you," Shang began softly. "That's why I'm here."

"And we need him, Yao," Chien-Po added.

Yao sneered at him.

"I want to make this right," he added, falteringly.

The three soldiers stared at him, Yao and Ling with expressions of anger and dislike, Chien-Po with a concerned expression. He started, taken aback by his look of worry for him.

"How?" Yao demanded.

"I don't know how yet, but I'll think of some way," Shang answered firmly, shifting his gaze back to him.

"Well, she's _our_ friend," Ling replied pointedly. "So you're not going to do it alone. We want to help her, too."

**xxxxxxx**

Shang sat in the snow, looking down into the ravine below where they had believed the entire Hun army had perished. It was the middle of the night and the small camp that they had set up was quiet. He was unable to sleep, still cringing under the weight of Mulan's friends' accusations. And he was worried about her. He now felt responsible for anything and everything that happened to her or that would happen, whether it was directly or indirectly.

Yao and Ling wouldn't speak to him except when they had to. It would be a long time before they would forgive him for what he did to their friend, if they ever did. Chien-Po was the equalizing force in the group, keeping the uneasy peace and explaining to Shang everything he needed to know about what they knew of the situation.

It was Chien-Po that had told him about the village and the tavern that they had met Mulan in. She had stopped there to get help from a medic; she needed something for the pain of her wound. But she became extremely sick while she was there and a woman named Bi that owned the tavern took care of her. The tavern was a brothel. The last place a girl like her belonged.

He told him about how she had climbed up the column of the palace the same way she had climbed up the pole at camp with the weights, using a sash from her dress in place of the bronze disks. That must have been so difficult. How much support could a silk sash have given her?

Shang shut his eyes, thinking about the comments he had made to her about being Shan-Yu's concubine. He knew she wasn't like that. Anything that happened now was because she was forced.

He inhaled deeply, trying to let the breath ease the ache in his chest. But it just became worse and the sadness and regret that he felt cut him deeply. She'd saved her father's life by what she did; he had arrived too late to do anything for his father. His throat began to constrict as it hit him that this was what it was that tortured him so. He had not been able to save his father, something he remained deeply bitter and grieved about; and she had. He felt ashamed and selfish that he was even comparing them in this way, allowing it to wound his pride as a man just because she was a woman who had succeeded where he had failed.

"Captain?"

Shang turned to Chien-Po who had come out of his tent and now stood just behind him. He swallowed, forcing back the lump in his throat, and gestured for him to sit beside him, relieved to have the distraction.

"You can call me Shang, Chien-Po. I'm not an Imperial captain anymore. There's no longer an Imperial army."

"You are still our captain, sir," he answered, sitting down cross-legged beside him, "and I will continue to call you by your proper title."

Shang looked at him, at a loss as to how to answer him. The man was giving him more respect than he felt he deserved.

"Captain, you were a good leader all along. I don't know why you just gave up in the Imperial City."

Shang's eyebrow went up.

"Gave up?"

"Yes, sir. You became reckless, like you didn't care what happened to you. You wanted to die, sir."

It wasn't a question. Chien-Po stated it as a fact.

Shang sighed and slowly shook his head, pausing to think about that day in the Imperial City for a moment.

"The rest of the troop died because they followed me without question. You three were the only ones smart enough to realize that you shouldn't."

He sighed again.

"All I knew is that I had to somehow try to help the Emperor. It was my duty. I wasn't thinking about anything else. Or anyone else."

"You were feeling bad because of your father and because of Mulan," the gentle giant finished quietly.

Shang turned to face back out toward the ravine, not answering. His thoughts and his feelings then and now seemed too complex, much too tangled up and painful to be explained away in such a simple little phrase.

"I'm sorry to be prying, sir. It is your personal business after all. But you will not be able to fight well if you have all of this sorrow and negative feeling stuck inside of you. It will interfere with everything. You need to have a clear head so that you can remain centered and focused. You're the one that taught us that, sir."

Chien-Po patted his shoulder and stood up.

"Goodnight, Captain. Try to get some sleep."

Shang remained silent, attempting to blink back the tears that were beginning to form as Chien-Po went off to his tent, leaving him alone again.

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: More to follow.


	18. Uneasy Peace

A/N: Thanks again to all for continuing to read and review.

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 18: Uneasy Peace**

Camp was packed up quickly in the morning and they left the Tung Shao Pass, continuing toward the Imperial City on foot. Most of their things were saddled on Khan now, as much as he could carry, and Shang led him on foot. The others followed him, Chien-Po in front with him, Yao and Ling bringing up the rear. Though the two of them had refrained from blaming him verbally, they remained stand-offish and cold, not talking to him still except when they absolutely had to.

He found that several of the men from the village, though they were older, knew martial arts and sword play. They had served in earlier wars when they were younger.

Gao, who seemed to be the leader, walked alongside of him and Chien-Po and they conversed as they traveled.

"As you can see, we are older and not in very good shape anymore, Captain. It has been quite some time since most of us have had to fight. We will beat them with strategy and intelligence, not might. Especially since we are only a small group against a large army. Even if we were young and expert fighters, those are bad odds."

Shang nodded. "Agreed. Fortunately, other than me and the three soldiers that served under me, everyone is dressed in plain clothes. There is a market everyday in the Imperial Square. If we can go in as merchants and buyers, we won't look suspicious and we can observe everything that is happening. And then figure out a plan of action."

"That's the right idea, Captain."

Gao smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

"I'll tell the others. We'll have to gather some things together to be 'selling'. We have to be convincing. A few of us can go in ahead of everyone. We need to get some plain clothes for you and your men anyway."

"Good," Shang answered. "You can lead the first small group that goes in to scan the scene. The market closes at sundown, so for the first day you should all return back to camp."

"With clothing for you," Gao answered.

He glanced at Chien-Po and chuckled.

"Though you would more likely pass for a Buddhist monk rather than a merchant, soldier."

"If you find me the right clothing then I will go in as a Buddhist monk," Chien-Po answered serenely.

"We'll be making camp in the forest on the east side of the city," Shang continued. "There's a stream there and it's an easy place to stay hidden."

Gao fell back to talk to the others but Chien-Po remained in step with him.

"I don't know if they told you, Captain, but the eldest gentleman with us is a medic. His name is Dr. Kong."

Shang nodded with a grave expression.

"We may need him."

**xxxxxxx**

Mushu folded his arms and glared at her expectantly as they sat together on the bench in the palace garden under what had become her favorite orange blossom tree.

"What's the story, Mulan?"

"Can't we do this later, Mushu? I really need you to go…"

"Talk to me, baby," he interrupted. "You want me to get this stuff because of what you've been up to, and I'm not going anywhere until you explain what's going on with you."

Mulan sighed, feeling caught. "You won't like it."

He gave her a look and she nodded.

"Okay. What do you want to know?"

"Well, in the first place, why did you even _let_ him?"

She averted her eyes and turned her face away from him as she spoke. "I wasn't going to, but…"

"But what?" he pressed when she didn't speak further for several moments.

"I liked it," she whispered finally, her cheeks beginning to flame from the embarrassment and guilty shame.

"What?" he exclaimed, flabbergasted.

She buried her face in her hands for a moment. She didn't even want to be talking to her guardian about this, but at this point he was refusing to get her something that she desperately needed unless she spilled all.

She raised her head and sighed. He'd already witnessed her with Shan-Yu. The damage was done in any event.

"You liked it?" he repeated incredulously.

She looked straight at him, speaking softly but firmly, then beginning to stutter as she began to speak more personally.

"It felt good. Shan-Yu started kissing me and touching me…and Shang had been so close to me a little while before that…and the way he did it…well, he really knew what he was doing…he was good, okay? I wanted more once we started…"

"Oh, I don't believe this…"

"You asked, Mushu," she said quickly before he started on a tirade. "I'm not going to lie to you."

"Yeah, well, I should have known you'd say it. The two of you are at it every night now," he groaned. "And in the middle of the day. I don't understand you at all anymore, Mulan."

"I don't understand myself," she sighed.

"I mean, he's not Chinese…he's the enemy!"

Something struck her as he said those words.

"Maybe that's what it is," she mused.

"What?"

"He's not Chinese. He's not…in the same world as me…the way Shang is. When Shang looks at me, I see a dishonorable woman reflected in his eyes. It's not just hatred and anger at me for deceiving him, though that's there. He sees me as a dishonorable woman and a disgrace. It's written all over him, his harsh judgment of me. That's the way my father will see me if I ever go home again. The way the matchmaker saw me, the way everyone always saw me. Do you have any idea how old it gets to have people always telling you you're dishonorable and no good? I'm sick of it!"

She was almost in tears as she finished speaking these thoughts.

"I know, baby. That's just the way it is. After you saved your troop you deserved to be honored, not left out in the cold and abandoned because of what you are."

He hopped up onto her shoulder and hugged her. She smiled wanly at him.

"And Shan-Yu?" he asked quietly then. "Do you think his opinion of you is any better than the others?"

"I don't know what his opinion of me is and I don't care."

Mushu's eyes widened.

"I don't have to care," she explained, "because he's a foreigner. I know he has ulterior motives for keeping me alive and close to him, and I really can't trust him completely. If he finds out who I am, he'll probably kill me. But…whatever his intentions, he doesn't judge me. When I look into his eyes…I sense that he actually sees _Mulan_. It's a relief."

A relieved sigh actually escaped her as she said the last three words and a great weight seemed to lift from her chest suddenly at this new insight that had come to her.

"Do you like him?"

She shrugged. "I don't think so. It's just that…there's no pressure. And he's been nice to me. I'm not afraid of him anymore. And, well, physically…"

"Alright, alright, that's enough of that. What about Shang? You've been crazy about him since the first day you were at camp. Now you stopped liking him just like that?"

"No. I still like him. But it's different. It's painful. And a waste of energy because it will only ever be one-sided."

"I see."

"Look, Mushu, if it bothers you about me and Shan-Yu, maybe…maybe you don't want to stay with me…"

She glanced at him nervously, worried. Part of the reason she felt safe was because she knew he was around. Besides, he was a good friend now as well as a companion. She would be truly alone if he left her.

"Don't be silly, baby. I would never abandon you. I told you, no matter what happens I'm on your side. And I mean that. We're in this together. Besides, how can I go back to the temple? The ancestors are already pissed off over the Great Stone Dragon I'm sure. Do you know what they would do to me if they found out I left you with the leader of the Huns?"

She gave him a wry smile.

"Anything else you want to know, Mushu?"

"No. I've heard enough."

"Then will you go to Bi for me now?"

"Yeah. I still don't condone your activities, but I don't want you having his baby either, so yeah. I'll go."

"Thank you."

"I'll get back here as quickly as I can."

**xxxxxxx**

Gao and two of the men that had gone ahead to 'shop' in the market returned to camp after sunset with food and plain trousers and tunics for Shang and the three soldiers.

"The market seems to be business as usual, Captain," Gao told him as they sat together by the stream. "Very typical. Nobody cares about what happens most of the time. People tend to go about their business, no matter what is going on, no matter who is in power. They don't care about politics until their livelihood is directly affected by them. Then they care."

"What about the Hun soldiers?"

"They're posted around the square, but they appear to be there merely to keep peace. They're not stopping anyone or inspecting peoples' belongings or anything like that."

Shang nodded.

"Mushu told me that Mulan is certain that her life is not in danger. I would like to confirm that before we do anything else."

"How?"

"I'm not sure yet. One person might have to try to get in there, maybe into the garden. If we're lucky, Mushu will come to us with another message possibly. But we can't count on that."

"I've been thinking about something, Captain. On the surface it may seem peaceful and that things are business as usual. But there may be other things going on underneath, things that we could use to our advantage."

"You mean a possible rebellion being organized among the citizens?"

"Or maybe even dissention in the ranks of the Hun army. I'm sure there must be one man in that army that is related to Shan-Yu."

Shang nodded. "Shan-Yu's cousin is in the palace. He's the one that led the rest of the Hun army here. But I have no reason to believe that he is turning against Shan-Yu from what I saw of him."

"Not yet necessarily, but it could happen. When it comes to power and money it's often human nature to become greedy. There have certainly been many incidents over time of people killing members of their own family for power. Shan-Yu has made himself the Emperor; but perhaps his cousin feels that he should be in power since he led the majority of the soldiers that are now stationed here. Maybe we should start that rumor ourselves."

Shang stared at him.

"Well, if the Hun army is too busy fighting among themselves they won't be paying any attention to us and they'll be disorganized. That may be when we could sneak in there to get her."

"We need to be careful," Shang answered, thoughtfully. "Starting something like that could backfire on us. And Mulan could end up in the middle of it. For now, I think we should be observing and listening closely, nothing more."

**xxxxxxx**

"Shan."

He looked up as Boke entered the room.

"What is it, cousin?"

"There is no information on your mysterious Mulan to report."

"Batu is overseeing this. What has this got to do with you, Boke?"

"One of the men watching her mentioned to me that she talks to herself."

Shan-Yu raised his eyebrows at that, pondering.

"Interesting."

"She's usually in the palace garden when she's not with you during the day. She stays under the same tree all the time."

"Have the men searched the garden?"

"No. Why?"

"Perhaps our illusive commander found his way back here and is hiding out there. Maybe she's talking to him."

"I'll have some men search. In the meantime…"

"In the meantime what?" he demanded when Boke trailed off, an uncomfortable expression on his face.

"What are your plans for her?"

"That is none of your business," Shan-Yu answered, his brow darkening at his cousin's prying.

"You obviously have a reason for keeping her so close to you," Boke pressed.

Shan-Yu rose to his feet and stalked toward his cousin threateningly.

"Hear me out, cousin. If you think she may have information, there are more direct methods of getting it than that way. She can be threatened. Or tortured."

"No," Shan-Yu answered, shaking his head for emphasis. "Not this one. Mulan is one of a kind. She would not break down under threats or torture. Things have to be handled more delicately. The way to learn information from her, if she has it, is by earning her trust."

"What exactly are you trying to find out?"

"Who she is and what she's doing here. I am always suspicious of things that seem out of place where they are."

"I still say you're playing with fire, cousin. She would not be the first woman to fell an empire, or a single man. Just be careful that it's you playing her, not the other way around. She may not be a palace concubine, but that doesn't mean she's an innocent."

Boke flinched as Shan-Yu took a step toward him. He lifted his smaller cousin off of his feet by the collar, but when he spoke his tone was quiet and even.

"I'm going to kill you if you ever say anything like that about her to me again, Boke."

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: More to follow shortly.


	19. Dong Quai Tea

A/N: Thanks again to all for continuing to read and review.

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 19: Dong Quai Tea**

Mulan looked up as Mushu reappeared, finally returning from his visit to Bi's village, joining her where she sat on the bench underneath the orange blossom tree. He had two sacks for her. She peered inside one of them and found that it was filled with roots and seeds. There was a piece of paper on top which she drew out.

"Those are instructions. That one is something that she called Dong Quai. You're supposed to brew the roots and seeds into a tea without overcooking them and drink it, but only if you need it. She emphasized that. And she said not to drink it for more than a week. It can have bad side effects."

She took the other sack from him and opened it. It also contained a piece of paper and a mixture of roots, flowers and seeds. "What's this one?"

"You can use that all the time. The other one is if this one doesn't work. Bi put instructions for each one inside the sacks."

"Thanks for going and getting this for me, Mushu."

She placed the two sacks on the bench beside her.

"No problem. Are you alright?"

"Yes. Do you have any idea where Shang and the others are now?"

"No. As I said, I told Shang where to find them. I hurried back to you."

"Would you do me a favor and see where they are and what they have planned, so I know?"

He gave her a look.

"It's the only way, Mushu. I can't get out there without raising suspicions, and their lives will be in danger if they come in here. I need you to act as a liaison."

"Now I'm everybody's guardian," he grumbled. "Yeah, alright. I'll come back and let you know. You be careful with that stuff I gave you from Bi."

**xxxxxxx**

Gao stood up as two of the Hun soldiers approached his cart and glanced over his vats of herbs and spices.

One of the soldiers lowered his hand into one of the vats and scooped up a palm full of twigs and seeds that Dr. Kong called Dong Quai, bringing it up toward his face and whiffing it.

"What do you use the twigs for?" he asked, screwing up his face in distaste.

"You are looking to cook something, honorable soldier? Or are you looking for something medicinal?"

"You sell both types of herbs?"

Gao nodded and pointed to Dr. Kong who was tending the cart with him. "My friend here knows all about the medicinal properties of herbs. He can answer any questions about what may serve your needs."

The soldier that had scooped up the handful of herbs took another whiff. "This must be a medicinal herb."

"Yes," Dr. Kong spoke up, "and not one that you would have any use for. That is something for women to use. I'm afraid you would be drinking that nasty-tasting tea for no reason. Then again, who knows what kind of an effect it would have on a man."

The Hun soldier turned his hand over and opened his fist, letting the twigs drop back into the vat.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Those are Dong Quai roots. Is there any particular medicinal need that you honorable soldiers have?"

They both shook their heads.

"We were just curious about you. Neither of you look familiar; have you been here before?"

Gao spoke up. "We are new to this market."

"Where are you gentlemen from?" asked one of the soldiers.

"We are from a very small village, quite far from here. But business is bad these days. We were hoping to have better luck here in the city."

The two soldiers lingered for a couple of minutes more, examining their cart before finally nodding and indicating for them to carry on.

Gao and Dr. Kong exchanged glances and continued to peddle their wares for the rest of the afternoon.

At sunset, as they left the city and headed back to camp, they finally spoke.

"We'll have to let the captain know that we were recognized as being new to the city," Gao said, frowning thoughtfully.

"Yes, but I don't think we have anything to worry about. We should continue to come here everyday and sell this stuff. If we disappear suddenly, that will seem more suspicious."

"You're right. I will suggest as much to the captain. And let him know that the Hun guards are quite vigilant and perceptive. We must make sure we don't underestimate them."

They were greeted by a gruff voice demanding them to identify themselves as they approached camp, which they did firmly. Dr. Kong went off to get dinner and Gao went to meet with the captain and explain what had happened that day in the market.

"They are very observant," the captain answered, thoughtfully.

"Yes, sir. We should return tomorrow and everyday to work. It will be obvious if we are never seen there again."

"Agreed. And if they get used to your presence there they will stop paying so much attention to you, which will make it easier for you to observe. Tomorrow, at the end of the day, please see if you can obtain a large black cloak for me, so I can cover my head and face. I wish to start going into the city to observe for myself what is going on there. I want to at least start thinking about a plan to get in there."

**xxxxxxx**

Mulan looked up as Shan-Yu came strolling out into the garden, heading toward her where she sat in her usual spot under the orange blossom tree.

"You like this spot," he commented, taking a seat on the bench beside her.

She nodded.

"It's peaceful."

"What makes you look so sad then?"

She bit her lip, hesitating for a long time before finally speaking.

"There is a bench like this one in my family's garden. It was also under a tree; a magnolia tree. I used to sit there with my father all the time."

"Ah. Is that why you were named Mulan?"

She shrugged and looked down as his hand suddenly covered her hands that she held clasped tightly in her lap.

"Is he still alive?"

She closed her eyes, cringing at the pain in her heart at the thought of home and her family.

"If he isn't, it's my fault," she answered finally.

"How is it your fault?"

"I broke his heart."

He studied her quietly for a few minutes.

"You ran away?"

She looked at her hands, remaining silent. His hand was still resting lightly on them.

"Why?"

She was silent for a long time before finally answering with a heavy sigh.

"It doesn't matter anymore."

They sat quietly for a few minutes, then he broke the silence.

"It's terrible to be separated from the ones you love, for whatever reason. I know."

She looked at him. He stared straight ahead stoically and continued.

"Your question that night was very perceptive. I was married before. My wife was killed by Imperial soldiers."

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I'm sure you loved her very much."

He turned to her and took one of her clasped hands in his, squeezing it, looking into her eyes now as he spoke.

"Many of the Emperor's soldiers were sent to patrol the border. Much of the trouble was caused because they got bored and decided to stir it up, especially on occasions where they got drunk. She was caught up in one of those random skirmishes that occurred."

Mulan didn't answer. She simply returned his warm gesture and squeezed his hand firmly.

**xxxxxxx**

"We should make our move soon if we're going to," Burilgi was saying.

Boke turned to the man that had been his second in command and nodded.

"Soon. But not yet. We must plan this out well and not be too hasty."

"But he only has a handful of men that came here with him and are loyal to him. You have an entire troop of men that _you_ led here."

"True, Burilgi. But my cousin is sly, instinctive and wily. I can guarantee that he will be able to sniff out our intentions if we are not subtle and careful. And even with only a small band of men, he is not to be underestimated. Remember, he and those few men laid siege to this city and overthrew the Emperor. That was not a small task for an army; and they did it as a small band."

Boke sighed.

"I really hate to do this, too. But my cousin gives me no choice but to start thinking this way. He has gone soft, sending envoys to the provinces to make peaceful offerings to the local ministers," he added disdainfully. "Troops should have been sent to those provinces to take control and oust those people. We are in charge here; why are we kowtowing to people who are now under our rule?"

Burilgi nodded in agreement, remaining silent.

"And then there's that Chinese girl he's got by his side. I don't know who she is, but she will be his downfall, if you ask me. She's not to be trusted, and he already acts differently."

He rolled his eyes in disgust.

"And she's not even pretty. There are plenty of prettier women in the palace, women with makeup and fuller figures and he picks her."

Burilgi remained quiet, not wanting to say anything about this subject for fear of saying the wrong thing and stirring up his leader's wrath.

"Still," he continued after a moment. "We can deal with her later. First we have to make sure we have our strategy planned out well, from the first move to the last."

"What will be our first move?"

"Unfortunately, we will have to kill him."

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: More to follow soon. I know the direction that I want this story to take, but I'm afraid it may take some time (and many chapters) to get all the details in and everything set up; I'm afraid this story may become epic length. I will attempt to organize everything into fewer chapters if I can. Also, a little note about **Dong Quai**, Bi's herbal remedy for Mulan: it is based on fact. Since the beginning of time women in cultures all over the world including China used various herbs to control their reproduction and for natural contraception. Dong Quai is the name of one of these herbs used in China.


	20. Meetings

A/N: Thanks to all the readers, and special thanks to those who have reviewed. And for those who were not sure of the reference in Chapter 19, **_Mulan_** means **_magnolia or magnolia blossom _**in Chinese.

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 20: Meetings**

"That's the column she climbed up," Chien-Po told Shang quietly as they passed behind the palace. "The third column from the end."

Gao had managed to obtain two black cloaks, one large enough to cover Chien-Po and one for him.

Shang surveyed the column and the balcony it led to with narrowed eyes. There were no rooms there. These were balconies off of a corridor and there would very likely be a heavy guard posted up there. He could see several guards on the ground level, posted by each column as well. He wondered how Mulan had managed to get in without being seen.

"She said that going in as a woman, she would remain unseen," Chien-Po spoke up in answer, as if he were reading his mind. "That's why she wore the dress and went as herself. It was with the idea that women are supposed to be invisible."

Shang nodded, pushing away the painful twinge of guilt that nagged him as he was reminded that he had treated her terribly for that very reason.

They headed out through the east gate and back to camp, carrying the sacks of food that they had bought.

"Captain, Chien-Po," Gao greeted them as they approached him. "We have a visitor in our camp."

"Oh?" Shang answered, his eyebrow raised.

Gao indicated with his thumb and Shang's eyes fell on Mulan's little guardian dragon Mushu, perched beside the fire, helping himself to some food.

Mushu glanced at him and nodded as Shang crouched down beside him, wanting to hear what message he might have brought for them. But the guardian didn't seem to have any sense of urgency at all and sat munching on a dumpling, saying nothing.

Shang sighed, realizing that the odd creature would speak to him in his own good time, and served himself dinner.

"Mulan is alright," Mushu told him finally when he had finished eating and decided it was the time for them to talk.

"What made you come now?"

"She asked me to be the liaison between you and her. This way you can know what's going on in the palace and I can let her know what you're up to."

Shang's eyebrow went up in surprise. Mushu just shrugged.

"Hey, it's a living."

"I know she's in the smaller room off of the larger bedchamber used by…him…and the former Emperors."

"And his falcon is there in her chamber."

"Guarding her?"

"Waiting for you to come back there," Mushu laughed. "Shan-Yu believes that you will return for her. And the falcon apparently has your scent memorized."

Shang just stared at him, not sure what to say to that.

"But that's one way that I can be of help," the small dragon continued with a sly smile. "I have that falcon somewhat perplexed. I'm an immortal. He sees me and senses a presence; but I have no scent. That completely throws the bird off."

"Is there any way I can see her?"

Mushu looked at him as if he was nuts. "Not unless you want your head cut off."

"She never leaves the palace grounds, I assume."

"No. She's wherever he is most of the time, but sometimes she sits out in the palace garden."

Shang stared into the fire thoughtfully.

"Maybe…"

"Forget it, Shang. I know what you're thinking. She's right that Shan-Yu is not to be underestimated. He's clever and perceptive and nothing gets by him. Don't even think about going into the garden to meet with her. There are guards watching her wherever she goes, especially there."

"Why especially?"

He shrugged. "I just know that they keep a close eye on her there. Maybe they're afraid she's going to leap over the garden wall and escape."

"I see."

"And lately I've noticed some of the men checking the trees and shrubs around her."

Shang laughed slightly at that. "They're probably trying to find out who she's talking to. I assume you're always there with her, having a conversation."

"Yeah, you're right."

"I do have a Hun uniform and armor. If I could somehow slip back in there dressed in the uniform, I could meet her in the garden. I would look like one of them."

"Yeah, but if that falcon is anywhere around he'll sniff you out and start squawking up a storm."

Shang nodded. "Alright, let her know that the men and I are in the market place everyday, observing what's going on. We're dressed in plain clothes, either selling things in the market or browsing as if we're shoppers. Gao and Dr. Kong have a cart from which they're selling herbs everyday. If she is able to at least get out into the market once in awhile, tell her to try to find them."

"That's good. She'll recognize Dr. Kong. He treated her when she first arrived at that village. Any ideas for a plan yet?"

"No. But we're keeping our eyes open for an opportunity. Dissention among the Huns that we can take advantage of perhaps. Maybe Mulan can keep an eye out for the same on the inside."

"She already is. I'll continue to go back and forth between here and the palace with news and other messages."

They were silent for a few minutes, then Shang spoke up, hesitantly.

"Mushu, you said that you didn't know what she saw in me."

"Yeah, what about it?"

"I…" he trailed off, feeling foolish for having brought it up, and shook his head. "Never mind."

Shang fell silent for a long time. He felt confused and he didn't really know why he was asking about it other than it had been on his mind ever since Mushu had made the remark to him. He didn't know what he had been expecting her guardian to tell him about her.

"I'll give her the message about you and the others being stationed in the market place everyday. Any other messages you want me to give her, Shang?"

He turned to him and stared at him blankly. "Hmm?"

"Any other messages for her other than the market place?"

Shang shook his head. Mushu darted off and he returned to his previous thoughts.

Yao was right. He owed her an apology. But it had to be in person not through Mushu.

**xxxxxxx**

"How's the tea?" Mushu quipped as she took a sip and screwed up her face in disgust.

"Nasty. But I'm not ready to give birth, so if this will prevent it I'll suffer through it."

"Just be careful. Bi said that it can really be hard on your body and that she would have preferred if you did this under a medic's supervision."

"Well, if there's a medic in the palace I don't know who he is. But now I know Doctor Kong is around. If I get sick from it maybe you can drag him in out of the market place for me. Thanks for sneaking into the kitchen and making it for me. I don't think I could have explained my presence in there."

Mushu watched her as she drained the cup, taking large, quick swallows so she would be less apt to taste the nasty brew.

"What would you say if I told you a certain captain may have second thoughts about you?" her guardian asked with a mischievous smile.

"I would say to mind your own business, Mushu."

She set the teacup aside and swung her legs up onto the bed, pulling herself back to lean against the wall.

"I know you still have feelings for him, despite whatever nonsense is going on with you and the _other_ guy."

She closed her eyes with a weary sigh.

"It doesn't matter. Besides, I'm tainted now."

"That isn't all your fault. You were coerced."

She opened her eyes and turned to him, forcing a laugh as tears began to well up in her eyes. "Coerced? No, not completely. I lost control of myself. And I'm afraid I lost my mind a little, too."

"Look, even if he treats you well, you have technically been a prisoner here. You've been scared, trapped and you were vulnerable."

"Nobody cares about that."

"I would. And so would your friends."

She pondered that for a moment.

"Yes, you're right. Those three never lost their respect for me when I was revealed. They would care."

"They stepped forward to help when you were revealed."

"And Bi would care, too. I suppose if I ever get out of here I can go back to her tavern and ask for a job."

"Shang may be more understanding than you expect. I really think that he's starting to look at you differently."

"I don't know why I'm still so upset over him anyway," she mused, more to herself than to her guardian. "How well do I really know him that I should care so much about his opinion of me? He's a handsome face, that's all."

"Yeah, well it wasn't his face that you were looking at when you were at camp."

Mulan grinned at him. "Okay, he has a great body, too. Always ready to make a sarcastic remark, aren't you, Mushu?"

"You know I'm just teasing you. Look, Mulan, Shang..."

"Mushu, please just leave it alone," she interrupted him insistently. "I don't want to think about Shang anymore. At least Shan-Yu seems to have respect for who I am as a person in a strange sort of way. I don't know. The whole thing is a game between the two of us. I don't have a handle on it and at the same time I feel compelled to keep playing it. It really scares me sometimes."

"Trying to manipulate and play people like that can be very dangerous," Mushu remarked, almost philosophically.

"It's all very complicated, Mushu. It's a matter of wits. He thought that I chose to stay here with him instead of escaping with Shang, and I let him think that so he wouldn't kill me for helping him. And so I could stall him and give Shang enough time to escape. Sometimes he tries to pull at the bandage around my waist and peek underneath but I say something to distract him and he stops. But it's all a game. And he knows when I'm doing it, he even says so. I'm not good at it; he's just humoring me and letting me win…that round. It's really weird."

"Sounds like it," he muttered. "You said he told you his side of the story."

She nodded.

"His wife was killed in a skirmish that was started by Imperial soldiers guarding the border towns. It seems that we were aggressors and invaders too."

She sighed and closed her eyes again.

"I really just don't know what I think and feel anymore. Everything is different now and it can never go back to the way it was. All I want to do is see to it that my friends are alright."

"You see? You're still an honorable girl who wants to do the right thing for the people you care about."

She opened her eyes and smiled slightly.

Mushu hopped up onto her shoulder and hugged her. "Look, if Shang and the others can get you out of here, wouldn't you want to go home?"

"Of course, but how can I now?"

"Let's worry about that after you're out of here."

She laughed. "Thanks for the cheering up."

"Your friends and the others are in the market place now. As soon as there's an opportunity to come in and get you they will. Shang has a Hun uniform and wants to come meet you in the garden. But I don't think that would be a wise idea unless I can distract the falcon away from you. And him."

"Why does he want to meet me in the garden?"

"I guess he's not satisfied with getting messages from you through me. He wants to talk to you in person."

He nudged her and Mulan rolled her eyes.

"Enough, Mushu. I finally got him safely out of here. He wants to come back in now?"

"If an opportunity comes up for it, it may be a good idea, Mulan. Talking to him in person, you may come up with other ideas and things you have to say. It's more immediate than having to get messages back and forth and you may come up with a plan more quickly."

"You're right. I just don't think it's very plausible with all the guards looking after me in the garden."

"Well, he'll be dressed as a guard. Our only problem is that damned bird," he grumbled, glancing at Suren who was eyeing him. The bird appeared suspicious and perplexed, if it was possible to describe a falcon's expression that way. "But I think I can take care of him."

"Alright. Maybe by the time he's able to get in I'll actually have something to report."

"I thought you said the waters were troubled."

She shook her head slowly.

"I don't know for sure. It's just whisperings, and in a language I don't understand. It's more of a sense that I get."

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: More to follow soon.


	21. The Guard

A/N: Thanks again to all for continuing to read and review. Next chapter up!

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 21: The Guard**

Shang took a small sip of his rice wine and observed the scene from the table in the corner where he sat with Gao and Chien-Po. It had been Gao's idea to remain in the city that evening and spend time in one of the busier taverns. It was a loud, crowded, bustling bar on a street off of the main square and right now they were observing a completely soused young boy rushing forward and trying to grab a sword from one of the Hun soldiers. Gao had placed a hand on Shang's shoulder instantly as he instinctively started to rise from his seat to rush over and stop the young boy.

"Don't, Captain. You must not call attention to yourself here."

Fortunately, this particular Hun soldier was nearly as drunk as the boy and the drink had altered his humor for the better. He laughed at the boy and began to tease him without hurting him.

"Foolish child!" he chortled and his friends laughed along with him. "You are too small to handle such an impressive weapon as this."

He sheathed the sword and pushed the boy away without effort.

Shang released a sigh of relief as the boy's friends that had rushed up to stop him now pulled him away, dragging him back to the table where they'd been sitting.

He raised his cup and took another sip of wine, trying to suppress the grimace that came to his face. Gao had insisted on buying it for him, but he really couldn't abide rice wine or anything with alcohol in it; he had never been able to hold his liquor very well and he hated the smell of it.

The scent of the wine, of the entire tavern, made him think of his father now. Li Kuang had always loved his drink. Fortunately it hadn't made him ill-tempered most of the time, like many men he'd seen; one night, purely by accident, he'd witnessed one of his schoolmates at the Imperial Academy get beaten within an inch of his life by a drunken father. And somehow drink never interfered with Li Kuang's ability to fight well, at least until his last battle. Shang was sure he must have been drinking that day. It was bitter cold in the mountains and he remembered how his father always commented that it was one of the better ways to keep warm, second to only one other thing.

A melancholy sigh escaped him and he raised his cup again, taking a gulp this time so that he wouldn't taste it. Maybe it would dull the pain, he thought absently.

"I think that we should spend a few evenings in places like this, Captain," Gao suggested. "Someone here may have heard something, and liquor has a loosening effect on the tongue."

Shang nodded and continued to observe in silence for a long while. More than half the patrons there were Chinese citizens, not Hun soldiers, and they went about their business and their socializing as if absolutely nothing had happened. Barmaids moved swiftly throughout the tavern, serving drinks, flirting, slapping drunken men that took one liberty too many with them. Men drank, argued heatedly, headed off brawls before they started, gambled.

"It's odd how they just carry on as if nothing has happened," Shang mused. "No one seems to care at all that an enemy has come into power."

They were joined by a man that Gao waved over a few minutes later and introductions were made.

"Odd to find a monk in a tavern," Gao's new friend Jin commented jovially. "You are a Taoist?"

Chien-Po nodded. "It's all a matter of balance. Everything in moderation," he answered serenely.

Jin chuckled heartily. His gaze shifted to Shang and he observed him quietly.

"He is quite a somber young man," he finally commented softly to Gao.

Shang scowled at him.

"Li Shang recently lost his father in the war."

"Oh. I am very sorry for your loss, young man."

Jin looked around carefully then leaned in to speak to them all quietly.

"This is an odd state that our land is in right now. We're being ruled by the enemy now."

"Yes," Shang sighed. "It doesn't seem to make a difference to anyone."

"Oh, but it does. I am from a village several miles from here. Hun soldiers arrived there recently and spoke to our local leaders. It was a non-confrontational meeting however, and it has been suggested that this new ruler is very wise. It seems he is trying to create a peaceful transition."

Shang just stared at him in disbelief. "What? This is a man who came with his troop and burned down an entire village of civilians!"

Jin shrugged. "I can't vouch for their logic. But our leaders have made it clear that they don't feel they are being forced to do anything. They were given some new orders, but their impression was that this new ruler's intention is to let them carry on with their duties peacefully. It looks as if he is trying to not rule with a stranglehold."

"I can't believe it," Shang muttered.

"Well, I would have never expected that from Shan-Yu either," Chien-Po remarked. "But people can surprise us often. And maybe Mulan has had an effect on him."

**xxxxxxx**

Two men were outside his door when Shan-Yu stepped out the next morning, standing on either side of it, their postures alert, their swords out. He raised his eyebrows in surprise. He was confident that Suren would alert him to any danger before it got near him and had never felt the need to have bodyguards; and he had never even asked for this guard to be posted outside of his bedchamber.

His eyes narrowed into a suspicious glare.

"Boke is waiting for you on the main balcony," one man that he identified as Burilgi said, quietly. "He will explain."

Shan-Yu gazed at him through still-narrowed eyes for another moment, then whistled through the door that remained halfway open and made a clacking sound with his tongue. His falcon swooped toward him, coming to rest on his shoulder as always but turning his head to look at his master with a look that was almost questioning.

He headed for the front balcony overlooking the Imperial Square, the two men falling into step with him.

"There is dissention within the ranks," Boke told him quietly when he had arrived with the two men.

"Yes, I had a sense of that," Shan-Yu answered, keeping his own voice low.

"I fear that your life is in danger. I have assigned Burilgi and Vachir to be your bodyguards and to look after you."

Shan-Yu let out a deep rumble of laughter.

"Thank you for your concern, cousin, but Suren will warn me of any danger nearby."

"I strongly suggest that you let my men watch over you."

"Hmm," he grunted, eyeing his younger cousin with a glint in his eye. "Such worry over my life. Perhaps it is you that I am in danger from."

Boke's eyes widened and he gasped.

"How could you suggest such a thing?"

Shan-Yu put his hand up, gesturing for him to be quiet.

"Thank you for your interest in my safety. But I have my own men that have served me well for many years. If I need bodyguards in addition to Suren here, I will ask them to look out for me."

He turned to Burilgi and Vachir.

"You're both dismissed."

They turned and left the balcony and Shan-Yu shut the doors behind him. He withdrew his jagged sword from its sheath, holding it in a casual, relaxed position. He walked slowly to the edge of the balcony, stopping to stand beside his cousin and glancing down at the daily market below them, continuing to keep Boke in his peripheral vision. His cousin's weapon was still in its sheath.

At his unspoken command Suren alighted from his shoulder and perched down lightly onto the balcony ledge. He straightened his posture then and turned to face his cousin, raising his sword and extending it toward him swiftly, letting the blade lightly rest on his shoulder, barely touching the skin of his neck. He grinned playfully at Boke, whose face had paled, eyes wide.

Seeing that his cousin was adequately spooked, he withdrew the sword without hurting Boke.

"Be careful with me, Boke. Perhaps it is you that needs a bodyguard."

**xxxxxxx**

Boke paced back and forth behind the desk in his chamber, fuming.

"He will make a mistake. He is too sure of himself."

"Yes," Burilgi answered. "And we must make sure that we don't make the same mistake of being too sure of ourselves. Although most of the troops were led by you, many of the men admire and respect him and his men _because_ they took the city by siege on their own. One wrong move and you might lose their loyalty."

"There were ten men with him, but four of them are his closest companions. We need to take them out first, and quietly. Batu is his council. That's the archer that he's always talking to. Keep him in sight at all times but don't make a move on him yet."

"Very good. I know the other three that you're talking about. Their names are Altan, Qulan and Chinua. They're expert martial arts fighters, all deadly with their hands or a sword."

"Keep them all under surveillance for now. And keep an eye on that woman Mulan, too."

**xxxxxxx**

"I'm still being watched, Mushu," she said quietly as she moved casually through the market place. "I'm surprised that I was even allowed to come out here."

"All you'll be doing is talking to Dr. Kong for now. And at least that falcon is hanging around his master these days. You can actually talk to Shang if he's around."

She made her way through the myriad stalls of food, silks, trinkets and other goods, pushing her way through haggling merchants and buyers. Her eye finally caught the familiar medic from the village and she made her way over to his cart.

"Dr. Kong," she greeted him softly.

"Hello, Mulan. This is Gao, one of the leaders from our village."

"Hello."

"So, are you looking for any particular remedy?"

"Yes. I've had a bad stomach ache lately. I think it may be a nervous stomach. My man is very possessive of me and he has me watched all the time," she told them casually.

"Well, you are a very lucky woman to have such a devoted…husband."

Mulan suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and merely sighed. "Yes, I'm very lucky."

"Come and sit down and Dr. Kong will consult with you."

"Thank you."

"Have you been eating or drinking anything out of the ordinary, young lady?"

She shook her head.

He gestured for her to hold her arm out and she obeyed. He placed a hand on her wrist, appearing to be feeling her pulse.

"We are camping in the forest to the east of here as it is too long a journey to venture back and forth to our village. After we have made enough money we will go home," Gao conversed with her casually as Dr. Kong listened to her pulse and checked her reflexes. "There are several of us here everyday, working. Your old friend Li Shang comes here too. He is staying at camp with us."

"Oh?"

"He says hello."

"Give him my regards."

"I'm sure that he would like to visit you himself. Maybe he can meet you here the next time you come to buy herbs."

"It will be good to see him again. I don't come to the market much, but I will get out here again I'm sure."

"Are you getting fresh air?" Dr. Kong asked her.

"I walk in the palace garden everyday," she answered. "It's at the eastern end of the palace, surrounded by a courtyard. It's very peaceful, with a lot of orange trees at one end. I like to sit there at that spot."

"Very good," he said with a nod. "You have a bandage on your body."

"Yes. I was injured in a fall."

"Stitches?" he asked.

"Yes."

"I should check them," he told her in a hushed tone. "It's been too long."

"It's not possible here."

He nodded. "And you cannot get out to our camp. Maybe you can ask the Emperor to let me come in and see you."

"Tell him that you met a very good doctor and that you haven't been feeling well," Gao suggested. "He can send his men to check Dr. Kong out before he brings him to you."

"That's a good idea," she agreed. "I'll see what I can do and send a message to you."

"Are you in pain at all?"

"No. And the wound hasn't reopened."

He nodded, his face grave.

"Well, young lady, you seem to be in good health. I will give you some herbs for your injury. You need to remove the bandage and see what it looks like. Apply the herbs if there is any sign of infection. If there's any problem, have your guardian seek me out immediately."

"Thank you. I will."

Mushu spoke up suddenly, poking his head out of her collar. "She's been drinking Dong Quai tea."

Dr. Kong's eyebrows went up at that.

"Mushu!" she hissed, shoving his head back into her collar.

"Where did you get Dong Quai tea?" he exclaimed.

"From Bi," she confessed.

"You should not be drinking that without supervision. It can have a very adverse effect on the body if not used properly."

She explained that Bi had given her instructions and that she was following them to the letter. He nodded after listening to her report back the exact method she used to prepare the tea and the length of time that she used it.

"If you start to bleed, I want you to have Mushu come and tell me immediately."

**xxxxxxx **

A/N: More to follow soon.


	22. At Status Quo

A/N: Thanks to all once again for the reviews and encouragement.

**Warning**: There are going to be some things starting in this chapter that may disturb some people. Nothing graphic or explicit, but I thought I should put out the warning.

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 22: At Status Quo**

"Did you enjoy your day in the market, my little love?"

She looked up as he presented himself in the doorway to her small chamber and nodded.

"It was nice to get out there, even if I was being followed by your men."

His response was a deep rumble of mirthful laughter. She was so honest and direct. He still hadn't gotten used to that and it always surprised and disarmed him.

"That's for your protection," he answered playfully, walking over and setting himself down beside her on the bed.

"Oh? I thought you were afraid I would run away from you."

He stared at her. Her face was an odd mixture of fear and flirtation. He could see that she was still so young and inexperienced that she didn't even know her own feelings. It was delightful. He reached up and cupped her cheek in one hand, rubbing it with his thumb, then leaned in and kissed her on the lips.

"There is much intrigue going on in this palace, Mulan," he told her, pulling back and fixing her with a serious expression. "Even among plain nomadic soldiers."

"I had a sense of that, but I wasn't sure. I can't understand what they're saying."

"It's my cousin and his allies."

"Really? How do you know?"

"He's unhappy with the way things are, and he had a guard set up to look after me, so to speak. But Suren sensed their murderous intentions."

"He is a very smart and noble creature," she remarked. "What did Suren do that made you know he sensed their intentions?"

"Nothing. I can tell by the way he looks when he senses danger and ill intentions. He gets a certain expression in his eye when he looks at me and his wing flutters a certain way."

"Is he a guardian?"

"A guardian?"

"Yes. We believe that our ancestors send guardians to watch over us when we're in need. I have a guardian who has been looking after me."

"Really?" he asked, not sure whether to believe her or not. "Is that who you talk to all the time?"

"Yes. They're supernatural beings."

Shan-Yu laughed. Perhaps the guardian was real, or perhaps her faith was so strong that she believed she saw one.

"You don't believe me?" she challenged him, quietly but defiantly.

He couldn't help but embrace her and plant a deep kiss on her lips again. She thrilled him when she looked defiant like that, when she challenged him.

"I respect your belief," he told her when he'd released her finally and they caught their breath. "Suren is a real living falcon. But he is like a guardian."

He took both of her hands in his and squeezed them.

"My cousin is having his men watch you, too. But we will see to it that they don't harm you."

Her eyebrows went up in surprise.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. They're watching you and the men who serve me closely."

"What are you going to do?"

"Watch them, just as they're watching us. We are wise to all of them, especially my cousin. And I'm a better swordsman than him. Have no fear, my dear."

**xxxxxxx**

"That was an interesting conversation you just had with him," Mushu remarked as she strolled out in the garden, walking toward the orange trees and the bench that she liked. "So the waters _are_ troubled."

She nodded.

"Do you want me to go tell the others?"

"Not yet, Mushu."

Her guardian looked at her closely. "Oh, no. No, no, no! You're not thinking of helping him, are you?"

"Mushu…enough people have been hurt…"

"Oh, I really don't believe you, Mulan!"

"Look, Mushu, we've been talking a lot, me and him, and…"

"Yeah, I've seen the talking the two of you are doing all the time."

"Mushu, cut it out once and for all," she muttered through gritted teeth, scowling at him, "do you want to hear what I have to say or not?"

"Okay, fine."

"We talk a lot about this. About how he should rule. When he crossed our border he wanted revenge, and that's all he wanted. To punish the Emperor for what the Imperial soldiers did to his people. He wasn't looking to be the Emperor because he wanted to rule our country; it was a prize to prove that he'd avenged himself, and he wasn't even sure what he wanted to do after that. Now he's in power and he's intelligent enough to realize that ruling as a tyrant is unwise. He has sent envoys to the provinces to deliver orders and make contact, and he has been attempting a peaceful transition. That's really something, don't you see?"

"So you think old Shan-Yu is doing a good job? Is that what you think?"

"I think he's trying to. Better than his cousin would do."

"Who cares? Let them kill each other! These are Huns! You can get yourself out of here and home safe."

"Then what, Mushu? There will be chaos here if that happens."

"I know," he said with a grimace.

"Mushu, did you know that the previous Emperor was of mixed blood?"

"What?"

She nodded. "He was half Chinese and half Hunnic. And so is Shan-Yu."

"Related?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so. He didn't say so anyway."

Mushu shook his head at her. "You have lost your mind, girl. You really have," he sighed. "But, I'm your guardian. I guess I'll just have to see you through your madness. I will warn you though that I may have to do things against your wishes to ensure what's best for you."

Mulan grimaced at him and indicated for him to be quiet and hide as she saw a tall Hun soldier approaching her. She gasped involuntarily and her heart skipped a beat as he approached and she got a clear look at him.

"Shang," she whispered.

Mushu poked his head out. "I'll go talk to him. I'll be right back."

"Mushu," she hissed fiercely, turning to stop him, but it was too late.

She sighed and turned away, continuing in the direction of the orange trees and the bench that she always went to. A minute later Mushu returned.

"Don't go to the bench yet."

"What?"

"I spoke to Shang. It will look suspicious if he just comes and sits down with you, and your new boyfriend will have a fit if he hears about it. I'll give you a signal when Shang comes back this way. Pretend you are ill and he'll come over to help you."

"How did he get in here?"

"He's in a Hun uniform. He came in with a group of Hun soldiers that were on their way in. I told him that it was clear since the falcon has been with Shan-Yu all the time lately. Anyway Shang's been waiting for you to come out here."

She began to stagger toward the bench on Mushu's cue, clutching her stomach.

"Dammit. They're all coming toward you, Mulan."

A strong arm came around her waist and supported her as she walked unsteadily and she looked up, relieved to see that it was Shang that had reached her first and was leading her to the bench. She sat down and leaned forward, pretending to be doubled over in pain.

"Mulan," Shang whispered, taking a seat beside her. "Are you alright?"

She looked up, suddenly aware that they had been surrounded by several other Hun soldiers and she heard what sounded like Shan-Yu's voice and the squawking of Suren. She cursed inwardly. She and Shang hadn't even had a minute to talk. Shan-Yu must have been following her himself that day.

Shan-Yu was suddenly crouching before her. "One of my soldiers went to get a doctor," he told her soothingly. "He said there's a man in the market that sells medicinal herbs. He will bring him here."

She nodded, knowing that he was talking about Dr. Kong.

Shan-Yu was looking at Shang now, who had risen to his feet and drawn his sword to protect himself.

"I knew you would come back for her, Commander," he remarked with a low laugh, rising to standing and drawing his own sword.

"Shan, I don't want him harmed," Mulan pleaded urgently to him.

The other soldiers that had surrounded them had their swords out, but Shan-Yu indicated for them to step back. It was his fight. The others moved back, remaining in a circle around them as they moved away from the bench and prepared to fight.

"This will be an honorable fight, gentlemen," he told them. "Both the commander and I wouldn't have it any other way."

They faced each other, swords down, merely eyeing each other. Endless moments passed as they stood there not moving, each one assessing the other. It was Mulan who made the first move, leaping up and rushing forward to stand in between them as they finally began to move toward one another, swords raised now.

"Stop!" she shrieked.

The two of them halted, stunned. They had both come very close to running her through from either side.

"Mulan, move out of the way," Shang ordered her softly. "This is between the two of us now."

Shan-Yu gestured to one of his men to come and remove her forcefully but she took a defensive stance and Mushu took that opportunity to hop out of her collar and onto the ground, spitting out a stream of fire in his own nervousness and making himself known to all.

Shan-Yu's men stared at the little dragon stunned and no one came near her now.

"There really is a guardian," she heard him mutter.

Mulan took a deep breath, drawing on all of the strength and conviction that she could muster.

"I don't want you two fighting!" she demanded strongly, turning her head to look at each of them in turn. She faced Shan-Yu then. "Shan, I don't want him harmed. You've been attempting to accomplish things peacefully these days. Let this be done that way, too. If you kill him, you can kill me, too."

She turned to Shang then. "The same goes for you."

"Mulan, you…have you gone crazy?" he sputtered, staring at her in disbelief. "He's the enemy! He killed the Emperor! Have you forgotten that he and his men killed my father? And destroyed the Imperial army?"

"And Imperial officers killed his wife! And his army was destroyed too! Where does it end?" she cried out desperately.

She stopped suddenly and glanced at Shan-Yu, realizing immediately that she'd slipped. His eyebrow had gone up and he looked thoroughly puzzled; and she knew that he was wondering how she could possibly know that his army had been destroyed.

She turned back to Shang quickly. His jaw was slack as he stared at her in unbelief. Everything and everyone was eerily still and she could feel her heart thudding in her ears. She didn't know what was going to happen next, but she had to stand her ground. All she knew was that she didn't want anymore bloodshed, especially not the blood of two men that she cared about.

She was about to speak when she suddenly felt a terrible pain in her stomach. Mushu squinted at her, thinking she was continuing to fake the illness that she had. She was barely able to shake her head at him, indicating that it was real this time. It was so sudden and violent that it took her breath away. She sank to her knees, eyes closed, clutching her stomach, unable to take the pain.

"Mulan," Mushu muttered, suddenly standing right beside her.

She opened her eyes and at the same time that he spoke his next words she saw.

"You're bleeding."

There were drops of blood on the ground beneath her. Another pain, like an excruciating menstrual cramp gripped her and she collapsed onto her side, curling up in a fetal position and groaning. She took a deep breath as the cramp passed, but just as she felt as if she'd recovered another one hit, each one worse than the last. She could feel the blood, sensing it becoming heavier and more profuse.

She barely heard the scurrying and exclamations around her. There were flurries in front of her eyes and she knew she was about to lose consciousness. She was vaguely aware of a strong pair of arms lifting her off the ground and she heard Mushu speaking close to her ear.

"It's okay, baby," her guardian soothed quietly. "That soldier went to get the doctor. You'll be alright."

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: More to follow shortly.

**Note:** This is, of course, in no way a historically accurate fic, but I wanted to give a little note about the mention in this chapter of the Emperor being of mixed blood (and about the Huns in general):

_Hun_ was a term that was used generally for the northern tribes of the Mongolian steppes, but there were actually several different tribes that lived there, one of which was the Huns, or _Xiongnu_ as the Chinese called them. It's a little complicated and I'm not knowledgeable enough about it to explain it in detail (**Taulai**, you seem to be very knowledgeable about this, so feel free to correct me or fill in any missing information!). However, I do know that the State of Hun existed several hundred years earlier than Mulan's time (as did the Great Wall), and they had been pushed west by Turkic tribes at least two hundred years before she would have been born. There are several conflicting accounts of when she lived, but whether she was living during the Northern Wei, the Sui or the Tang Dynasties, China was facing invasions from the Göturks during those three periods, not the Huns.

As for the Emperors, the Sui Dynasty Emperor Wen was half Turkish and the Tang Dynasty Emperor was also either half Turkish, or he may have been full-blooded Turk.


	23. Oddest Allies

A/N: Thanks to all for the kind reviews. New chapter finally up.

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 23: Oddest Allies**

Mulan was half-aware of being carried by someone and Mushu was still soothing her. She opened an eye and found herself looking up into Li Shang's worried face. Her other eye opened and she reached up and put her arms around his neck, lifting herself up, a wave of panic sweeping through her. She began to squirm in his arms, twisting her body around, her gaze seeking out Shan-Yu.

"Easy, Mulan," Shang told her softly. "I'm taking you to a place where Dr. Kong can treat you."

She looked at him questioningly and opened her mouth to talk but he spoke first.

"He's up ahead," he answered, an incredulous expression crossing his features.

She nodded.

"He's very sensitive about you," he murmured wonderingly.

Twisting her body around again she sought out Shan-Yu.

"Stay still. We're almost there."

"I made sure Shang was the one that picked you up," Mushu muttered in her ear. "I figured they wouldn't seize him if he had you with him."

"It's from the tea," she groaned. "He told me to let him know if I started bleeding. So he must have been expecting this."

"What?" Shang asked.

"Nothing," she whispered.

"Just be still, Mulan. Dr. Kong is here and he'll take care of you."

She closed her eyes and leaned her head against his shoulder, her arms still around his neck. A moment later she thought she felt Shang tighten his hold on her in a sort of odd hug.

**xxxxxxx**

Yao, Ling and Chien-Po leaped up when they saw him back from the city so soon.

"Gao, what is it?"

"I'm not sure. Dr. Kong was summoned into the palace to treat a woman by Shan-Yu's men."

"It must be Mulan," Chien-Po remarked quietly. "He was worried about her."

"Come on, we have to go," Yao called out, beckoning for them to follow him.

"What are we going to do?"

"We have to help."

"Any word about the captain?"

Gao shook his head. "Mushu came and told us that the falcon was with his master. Captain Li went inside with a group of Hun soldiers that were on their way in."

"Which means he probably got himself caught again," Yao muttered.

"Gao, you should stay here with the others," Ling told him. "If we're not back in a few days, it's up to you as the leader of your village to decide what you want to do."

"What exactly is your plan?"

"We don't have one yet. But we'll think of something."

**xxxxxxx**

Shan-Yu nodded to Batu and the nine others as they joined him in his chamber, led by Suren.

"I want her protected at all times."

"What about you?"

"I can take care of myself. Suren will cover me. We will need to come up with a plan of defense."

Qulan nodded. "We're only a small group of men against many who are probably loyal to your cousin."

"That's why we need a clever strategy."

"Perhaps if we come up with a way to pick them off one by one, starting at the top," Batu suggested.

"That's the right idea," Shan-Yu concurred with a nod.

"What about the Imperial commander?"

"I think it's good that we didn't execute him. There's much more to learn from him. When we were about to fight in the garden, there was an interesting interchange between him and Mulan. She knows that our army was destroyed."

"How? Was she there?"

"Maybe."

"You said she looked familiar. Was she living in that village?"

He shook his head. "Maybe. I didn't think so. But I can't think of any other reason that she would have been there."

He gestured to Altan and Qulan. "The two of you remain in the hallway and keep an eye on who walks back and forth this way. Work in shifts over night so you don't get too tired. I'll expect a report in the morning."

Acknowledging his instruction they left the chamber to go to their posts and Shan-Yu turned to Chinua and three other men named Ulan, Qorchi and Yeke, beckoning them to follow him into Mulan's chamber where the doctor from the marketplace was looking after her. The odd-looking tiny red dragon and the Imperial commander were standing over them. The commander drew his sword defensively as they entered the room.

"The four of you remain in that inner passageway," he told them pointing. "There's a small hidden room on the other side of the wall of this room. Guard that area and the passageway leading to it."

He led them toward the wall and slid the panel aside. He gestured for them to step inside.

"I'll come to speak with you later," he told them as they settled themselves into the room inside, then he shut the panel behind them.

He turned and went back out to the main room to speak with his council and the others.

"Batu, you and the others keep an eye on Boke and the men he associates with. Take careful note of his movements, his conversations. As you know they are watching you as well. This should be quite an interesting game. We'll meet back here tonight."

They hurried off and Shan-Yu returned to Mulan's chamber, Suren perched on his shoulder.

"Do you know what's wrong with her, Dr. Kong?"

"She's had a miscarriage," he answered.

"A miscarriage?"

A twinge of emotion grabbed him, a mixture of surprise and sadness. She might have had his child.

"She will be alright, but it will take several days. I must stay here with her."

He noticed the Imperial commander's flabbergasted expression and suppressed a chuckle.

"Commander, you can put your sword away. We will fight at a later time. Right now, you are my guest. We are both concerned about Mulan and want to make sure that she's alright."

A suspicious look was his response to the invitation. "What's your angle?"

"No angle, Commander. We're both honorable warriors, as I've said before. If we were not from opposite sides of the Great Wall we might have been friends."

The commander nodded, apparently concurring.

"I am your new leader, like it or not. But perhaps we can aid each other."

"I don't think so. You killed my father. Why would I want to help you?"

"Yes, that does make it difficult. But we should talk more. What is your name?"

"Commander," he answered flatly.

Shan-Yu began to chuckle mirthfully. "Very well, Commander. That's what I will continue to call you."

**xxxxxxx**

Chien-Po watched Yao carefully and pointed. "You're bleeding."

He growled and waved his hand. "Of course I'm bleeding. You try shaving with a dagger."

Ling guffawed. "You're still going to make an ugly woman, Yao."

"Shut up!" he retorted, shoving him.

"Both of you stop fighting!" Chien-Po ordered, annoyed.

Ling and Yao both stopped abruptly, surprised to see their normally serene friend become so unusually annoyed.

"We're here to help Mulan and the captain. This is not the time for bickering and brawling."

"I don't know why we have to dress up like women."

"Because, Mulan had the right idea when she went in. No one will pay attention to women."

"The palace is huge. I just hope we can find her."

"And the captain," Chien-Po added.

"Why do you care so much about the captain after everything he's done?"

"He's still one of our own and everyone deserves a second chance. Besides, he regrets how he treated Mulan and is trying to do the right thing. Now come on. We need to be ready by night fall."

They gathered up the silk dresses that Ling had managed to snatch from one of the stands when the procurer wasn't looking and began to put them on, hidden behind the temple in back of the palace that they had chosen as their waiting spot.

"I hope they fit. I didn't stop and ask them the sizes before swiping them."

"You should have paid for them, Ling," Chien-Po chided.

"With what? I don't have any money, do you?"

"Alright, alright, enough," Yao growled. "Let's just get this over with."

Ling produced the powder and other ladies make-up that he had paid for.

"Come on, Yao, make a face like this and I'll make you look pretty."

Yao slapped him.

"Hey! You almost knocked me over and made me spill it! This is where the rest of my money went, you know."

Chien-Po sighed and snatched the powder from Ling. "I'll do it. Yao, hold still."

"I don't know how we're going to pull this off. We will all make ugly women."

"That's okay. As long as we're seen as ugly _women_ and we're able to get in. They won't see us as a threat, and hey, if we're ugly, we don't have to worry about any of those guys taking a liking to us."

**xxxxxxx**

Mulan groaned as she set eyes on Dr. Kong. A tall figure stood behind him and she blinked at Shang. She glanced around nervously and relaxed as she caught sight of Shan-Yu standing at the foot of her bed, Suren perched on his shoulder.

"I've removed the bandage and taken your stitches out," Dr. Kong told her. "Your original wound healed nicely."

"Thank you," she croaked, too tired to think about the fact that Shan-Yu had probably now seen her wound and knew who she was. "What about the bleeding?"

"When I see Bi again I will have to scold her for giving you Dong Quai tea so irresponsibly."

"It's not her fault. I asked her for help," she offered hoarsely. "Is the tea what made me sick?"

He nodded. "I believe that you were pregnant and the tea caused you to have a miscarriage. That's what Dong Quai tea does."

"It does?"

"Yes. It's used to help a woman get rid of the cord that's left inside after the baby is born. But it works by causing the womb to contract. If taken while pregnant it causes the womb to contract and detach the unborn child. But it can cause complications, too. The bleeding isn't just the miscarriage; it's also a result of the contractions and it probably would have happened even if you weren't pregnant."

She froze inside for a long time, feeling a combination of shock and numbness. She probably had the beginning of a life growing inside of her after all. A feeling of sadness and hopelessness suddenly stabbed sharply at her, permeating throughout her entire body and Mulan began to weep.

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: More to follow soon.


	24. Game of Wits

A/N: Sorry for the long wait everyone. I know where I want the story to end up but I'm having a bit of trouble getting there. Thanks to all who have continued to read and review, and much appreciation goes out to **Taulai** for brainstorming with me so I could finally have a breakthrough and write this chapter. I hope to have this story completed soon. In the meantime, one more chapter up! Enjoy and happy holidays to all!

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 24: Game of Wits**

He hung back and observed for now, leaning against the far wall of the chamber, watching her and the medic. In time, when he sent both the medic and commander away and was alone with her he would speak with her about the pregnancy. He didn't for a moment believe that the miscarriage was an accident; she was much too smart for that even if she was naïve. No, she drank that tea in an attempt to avoid having the baby. What he didn't understand was why. Did she think that he would have abandoned her or killed her because of it?

Before he ever touched her he knew that she'd never been with any man before him. Many men that he knew liked a virgin; but he found them to be more work. His preference was an older, more seasoned woman normally. But it wasn't work with Mulan. She had been so natural and curious; he experienced the newness of it all over again through her eyes and it was thrilling.

They weren't in love. He had come to care for her and there was an odd bond between them now, but it wasn't love. It was an understanding that they had formed between them, a mutual respect and caring for the other's humanity. And it was a kind of truce too, a bargain that had been struck without words. She had given herself to him to help the commander escape. He knew that. And for them the bed was a battlefield, a game of wits. If nothing else she was a challenge and it was fun.

Mulan had something to hide. He still hadn't placed where he knew her from but the more time he spent around her the more he sensed that she had something on him. How did she know that his army had been destroyed? The commander might have told her; but why would he be discussing it with her? Chinese women were not warriors and Chinese men were not in the habit of making their women privy to matters of war. She claimed that the commander found her in that village they'd destroyed at the Tung Shao Pass; but that still didn't explain it. He had a sharp memory; he remembered the faces of every single person that he killed in battle, as well as those of the people that lived in the villages that lay in the path of those battles. He would have remembered her if he saw her in that razed village.

Everything was too coincidental and he could spot it in a heartbeat. She and the commander knew each other; and now this medic that just happened to be around in the market was also acquainted with her. The man had known about that injury underneath her bandage and had set to removing the stitches from it as soon as he'd finished treating the bleeding. Shan-Yu couldn't get a good look at that wound yet because the doctor had been bending over her. But in time he would. She was always so skittish when his fingers pried at the bandage, he couldn't help but be curious.

He snapped out of his thoughts, suddenly realizing that Dr. Kong had risen to his feet and stepped back. The commander was now kneeling beside the bed, speaking to her in a hushed tone. Shan-Yu listened carefully to everything they said.

"I'm sorry, Mulan."

The commander spoke so softly it was almost impossible to hear. He had to strain to pick up his words.

"For what?" she asked softly, sounding clearly confused.

"For everything. I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you. And…" his voice dropped to a half-whisper, "for almost…I almost killed you…"

"You had every right to. I came where I didn't belong." Her voice was dull, emotionless. "Maybe I would have been better off if you did."

"No. I don't believe that for a minute and neither do you."

Her gaze fell on Shan-Yu and she tugged nervously at the commander's arm. He looked at her with a puzzled expression then turned, his gaze following the direction of hers. Shan-Yu stepped forward to speak with them.

"Commander, Dr. Kong, there are two large chambers next to this one. You will both be made comfortable."

"Thank you. But I would like to remain here and keep an eye on her for a little while longer," Dr. Kong told him.

**xxxxxxx**

The palace was oddly quiet on this night, and it wasn't due to the time of the night. There was always activity, even after the midnight hour and into the wee hours of the morning. But not now. He knew Boke was occupied, probably plotting with his men; and his own men were busy watching them.

Shan-Yu paced back and forth in the palace garden brooding, Suren perched vigilantly on his shoulder. So, he had killed the Imperial commander's father. And it was this commander then who had been leading the small troop that came to the Tung Shao Pass where they were waiting, expecting the reinforcements to the regiment they'd destroyed. His army should have crushed that small band of men with ease; instead the field of play had been leveled by that small snip of a soldier from the commander's army.

He'd had to admire that little soldier's courage; the lone figure had come charging on foot toward his vast army of men on horseback, fearless and ready to confront his sure death head-on. The sight of his face up close had been startling; the soldier had been a young boy, no older than fifteen but probably younger. He was puzzled at first when the boy fired that cannon, uselessly it seemed, at the chest of the mountain peak. His gaze had followed its trajectory and it wasn't until the snow began to fall from the impact, slowly in small amounts at first and then tumbling down in a torrent, when he realized what the boy had done. Before he knew it, a wave of white was pouring down, beginning to cover most of his army, and rolling rapidly toward him.

Those were all good men that he'd lost. He'd wanted nothing but to lash out at that little soldier in revenge, though a part of him felt regret at having to put an end to the life of so fearless a boy.

The Imperial commander's half-whispered words rang in his head still, as did her sullen reply to them.

"_I almost killed you."_

"_You had every right to. I went where I didn't belong."_

Mystery surrounded her, it always had, and this only served to heighten his curiosity. Why had this commander almost killed her? What did she mean when she said that she went where she didn't belong? Was she talking about being in that village? Once again that also brought up the question of how she knew about what had happened to his army.

By now the medic and the commander would have finally succumbed to exhaustion and turned in, leaving her alone. Now would be a good time to go in; he wanted to ask her if she thought that he would have harmed her because of a baby. Making the decision to return to the chamber and speak with her, he turned on his heel and left the garden. Altan and Qulan were in the corridor at their posts when he reached the hallway leading to his room. He nodded at them and went inside, striding directly to Mulan's room.

She lay on her back in the dimly-lit chamber, slumbering peacefully finally after hours of weeping on and off. Whether she had intended to miscarry or not, it was obvious that she was painfully devastated by the experience and he felt for her. Finding her asleep now he made up his mind that he wouldn't disturb her; he would talk to her in the morning.

Easing himself down onto the edge of the bed carefully so as not to cause her to stir, he bent over her and gazed into her face intently as she lay still, as if all the answers to his questions about her would come to him if he stared for long enough. She was like a little porcelain doll, even without the typical makeup that Chinese women wore. He slowly brought a hand toward her cheek and tenderly caressed it, his skin just barely touching hers. She trembled ever so slightly at the touch and her lips parted a tiny bit but she remained asleep.

His gaze drifted from her face down to her slim torso. She was half his height and probably a quarter of his girth. He rested a hand lightly on her chest, feeling her heart flutter in that tiny frame, then let his hand slide along the side of her body and the curve of her hip. As gently as he could he closed his fingers around the material of her short tunic and slowly lifted it up toward her chest, revealing a bare white stomach and the curious injury across it that she'd been hiding underneath the bandage. It was an odd-looking jagged wound and his brow furrowed in confusion. It looked like a cut that would have been made by his sword. But that couldn't be. She was a woman; where would she come to be in the path of his sword? He stared at the wound for a long time, then his eyes wandered back to her face. For a long time he stared at her visage and thought again of every detail of that village in the Tung Shao Pass and the battle in the mountains. He suddenly _saw_ the resemblance now, the realization crashing through his head, and he leaped to his feet with a start, appalled, his mind reeling in disbelief.

Blinding anger overtook him and he almost grabbed her by the neck, wanting to yank her up off the bed, howling in fury, rousing her so that she would be awake when he killed her. Something stopped him, whether it was a hesitancy to harm her or plain shock, he didn't know. He stared down at the sleeping figure in unbelief, his mind attempting to process what he now knew to be true.

She was the soldier from the mountains. The Imperial commander was her regiment leader.

Every moment that he'd spent with her in the palace came back to him with perfect clarity in just a split second, and his mind examined each of those moments from a new perspective.

He'd always had a sense that she viewed him as the enemy. She knew martial arts and this was why she had taken that defensive stance when he met her. She was a trained soldier. He didn't know how. There were Hun women who were warriors. Chinese women were not, and they didn't join the army.

This was an odd trick, a nasty game that the fates had played, sending him this innocent girl for him to become intrigued with, who then turned out to be the soldier that had felled his entire troop. Not with brawn, not with a sword, but with that incredible mind of hers. It had been his large, well-armed army destined to win easily against their miserable little band of foot soldiers and with one single shot she had completely turned the tables on him.

What the hell was she doing there? Is that why the commander almost killed her? It made sense. The Chinese had a different attitude from his people about many things, including women. She had been disguised as a man and she must have been revealed when he wounded her.

"I _did_ get you!" he whispered in the dark, remembering how he'd looked down from his horse at the small soldier, knowing that his army was about to be buried by him, and sliced his sword through the air with a vengeance, swearing to take this soldier with him and the rest of his men. He didn't have time to see if he'd actually wounded him; he had to stay ahead of the avalanche.

If he had heard about this from someone else, about another man's army, he would have been quite delighted by the story and he probably would have laughed. Even in his anger he still had to admire her. What she had done was nothing short of brilliant.

No, he couldn't harm her. He had to ask her every question that was in his mind and receive an answer. If for nothing else but his own satisfaction he had to know why she was there. She was his now. He was her first and only man and he could own her.

His eye caught sight of the little red dragon that had suddenly climbed out from under the covers and was now blinking at him with glowing eyes. He'd forgotten about the guardian; but it didn't matter. Nothing had happened yet.

**xxxxxxx**

Mulan's eyes flew open as she was jarred awake by the sound of an anguished roaring howl that reached her within the walls of the small chamber. She sat up with a start, glancing around anxiously, finding that she was alone except for her guardian.

"Mushu?"

He withdrew from his niche underneath her pillow.

"Did you hear that?"

"Yeah."

"Was that Shan-Yu?"

"Maybe. He was in here before. Looking at your stomach."

She lay back down and closed her eyes, letting out a shaky, terrified breath.

**xxxxxxx**

His fury released for the moment, Shan-Yu left the garden and went back inside, once again pacing back and forth impatiently in one of the corridors. Suren remained perched on his shoulder, watching his back, faithful as always. A part of him hoped that Boke or one of his men would attack; he wanted to fight _someone_.

Suren's wing began to flutter agitatedly. Having his master's attention now, he began to swoop toward the end of the hallway and the back of the palace. Shan-Yu followed him and as he reached the corner he caught a glimpse of three figures in dresses disappearing through one of the doors along the back corridor.

"Concubines, Suren," he muttered to the falcon.

And ugly ones, he'd concluded even from the quick glance he'd gotten of them.

Suren squawked and shook a feather at him. It suddenly crossed Shan-Yu's mind that one of the figures had been incredibly large for a woman. And there were balconies all along that hallway. He strode toward the door where the three had disappeared and pushed it open.

He found himself facing what appeared to be three of the ugliest women he'd ever seen in his life. Only they weren't women.

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: I will follow up with another chapter as soon as I can. And for those of you waiting on a new chapter of _The Ballad of Li_, chapter 9 is in the works. I hope to have it up by this weekend.


	25. The Concubines

A/N: Thanks to all who have been reading and reviewing, with special thanks to my beta **Taulai**. Sorry it took so long; I've been kind of stuck. Finally, here is the revised Chapter 25. I changed the order of events from before somewhat, presented things a little differently and added to it.

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 25: The Concubines**

She wouldn't leave, no matter what happened. He knew it.

With a sigh, Shang shook his head as he sat on the bed thinking of her. How could she have formed such a bond with their enemy in such a short time, especially when she knew that he'd been responsible for his father's death?

He sighed again, thinking about her words. She had said that Imperial troops had killed Shan-Yu's wife. Had his adversary been so grieved that he'd been driven to invade their country and kill every man and woman there in retaliation? Would he feel better if he turned around and killed Shan-Yu to avenge his father's death? Or would it be killing begetting more killing in a never-ending cycle, just as she had said? Where did it stop?

And now she had killed her own baby. The doctor said that she'd miscarried from drinking all of that tea. But she must have known what she was doing. She was too smart to have just been haphazardly drinking a tea that happened to cause her to end her pregnancy.

There was a sharp, stabbing pang in his heart. It was _his_ baby. Shan-Yu's baby. Or it would have been. Why did it even matter to him? And why did everything she said and did make such a deep impression on him?

Shang dropped his head in his hands, brooding. Whatever she 'saw' in him before, as Mushu had put it, didn't matter any more. It was too late for that and she really did seem to care about Shan-Yu now, as unbelievable as that was. What exactly did Shan-Yu do to her that she was so in his power, so devoted to him?

Well, _he_ wouldn't stand in their way. At least she had accepted his apology. They had come to an understanding of some sort, and there was forgiveness between them, though they hadn't spoken many words. He and Mulan were friends now and there was a strong bond between them. She had made it clear that she cared about him and was willing to do anything to help him; and he knew he would do anything he could to help her, maybe even help her to get home if she would go. Though without her even telling him, he knew that she felt as if she could never go home, that it was too late. Too much had happened.

He lifted his head and glanced across the room into the separate alcove, where Dr. Kong was asleep. The medic had been keeping watch on Mulan almost twenty-four hours ever since the incident in the garden. And she'd wept on and off for nearly that long. How he wished that everything could have been different for both of them.

He found himself staring at the wall, turning a thought over in his mind. It was impossible to get to Mulan's room. There were guards even inside the wall, in the hidden passageway, keeping vigil to make sure no one got into her chamber through those tunnels. But he'd been moving through all of the passageways after he escaped from the room that they'd held him in and he knew how to find his way, even through sections that he'd never been in. His father had told him about those tunnels long ago, and how to navigate them.

Maybe he wouldn't be able to get to Mulan right away, but he had to do something. He'd already managed to stealthily and quietly kill a few of the guards when he escaped the first time. It would be a slow process, but he could explore and see exactly what was going on from a covert place. Then, if he could take them out softly and slowly, one by one, maybe he could gain an advantage before they even realized it had happened. And now that he was wearing a Hun uniform, chances were no one would notice him. Only that falcon; but the creature seemed to be hanging around with Shan-Yu all the time now, looking after his master.

Striding over to the wall, he began to repeat the exercise of feeling slowly, searching for a spot that would give way and offer him access.

**xxxxxxx**

The moment Shan-Yu stepped into the room the three odd-looking men dressed as concubines whirled around to face him and took a defensive stance. Suren alighted from his master's shoulder and began to swoop toward the doorway, squawking loudly, attempting to draw the attention of Shan-Yu's closest comrades.

"You three must be here for Mulan," he remarked, smiling wolfishly. "We'll have to find you some decent clothing to wear. After risking your own lives to come in here to find her you deserve to face your fate with dignity and honor, not dressed like that."

They were excellent fighters, most likely trained by that Imperial commander who had no doubt trained Mulan as well, since she'd obviously been in his regiment. He suppressed a wince as that thought crossed his mind. The fact that she was the missing soldier, the soldier from the mountains that had destroyed his army, completely occupied his mind now, and every other small thought about her that came to him seemed to intensify the feelings of anger and disappointment. He still couldn't get over the idea that a beautiful, tiny young girl had defeated him and hundreds of his soldiers. Boke had remarked that she would be his downfall; but she already had been before she even came to the palace.

In the mean time, he had more immediate things to worry about; he was outnumbered three to one. Having sounded an alarm, Suren soared back into the room to aid his master, flying at each of the assailant's heads in turn and beating them with his wing. Several minutes later two men from Shan-Yu's army that had survived came running in. Unegen and Oyugun evened the fight, taking on the short stout man and the taller lanky fellow respectively while Shan-Yu dealt with the large round man who he'd recognized to be much too large to be a concubine.

Too engrossed in fighting, none of them noticed as a panel of the wall slid open behind them and the Imperial commander stepped into the room, his sword drawn.

**xxxxxxx**

Wide awake and panicked, Mulan had gotten dressed and hurried out to the main chamber, snatching one of the swords that had been collected from her former troop from the weapons closet, knowing that she needed to protect herself. There was no doubt that Shan-Yu knew exactly who she was now, and there was no telling what he would do. She knew that she didn't want to harm him, but she had to be ready for anything. Clutching the hilt of the sword tightly, she returned to her chamber and paced back and forth nervously, brooding.

Ever since she'd been there with him, Shan-Yu had been calm, easy-going even, his anger channeled and contained. So different from the fury that poured out in that terrible howl that had filled her ears in the mountains when he realized that his army was about to be buried because of her. The same one that had just jarred her out of slumber a short time ago. He hadn't been in the room with her. In fact he'd been nowhere near her. But she had heard it.

There was no denying the rage and bitterness that lived inside him. She sensed it in him when he made love to her, felt its presence threatening to overwhelm him. Yet he never hurt her. Mesmerizing with his intense, magnetic nature, skillful and smooth, he made certain that every touch, every move he made caused her pleasure not pain.

But now he knew who she was and she had no doubt that without effort he could break her in half if he wanted to. Tall and massive, with thick powerful legs and arms, and a thick, muscular chest, he even dwarfed Shang, who was a large, brawny man himself. He could kill her with one blow.

And perhaps he had good cause to. He certainly had a right to be furious; she'd destroyed his army, almost in its entirety. He cared about his men as much as Shang cared for their little troop of recruits. Her actions in the mountain helped their troop and she had no regrets about that; she'd saved her friends, she'd saved Shang. And at that time, her duty was to her captain and to her Emperor; that was all she knew. Shan-Yu and his army of Huns were the enemy, they had invaded; and they were evil. It was that simple then. But things would never be that simple again.

Mushu continued to watch her in silence, his lizard-like features contorted into an unhappy expression. He wanted to go to Shang and tell him what had happened, to obtain his aid, insisting that she was a third of the size of Shan-Yu and could never take him on one-on-one.

"Shang would never get past the guards in the hallway, Mushu," she had answered. "Besides, there's no reason for him to be involved. This is between Shan-Yu and me."

My lover and my enemy, she thought to herself now.

She paced back and forth, anxiously waiting for Shan-Yu's inevitable return to their room.

**xxxxxxx **

They had been evenly matched until he appeared and he was upon them before they even knew he was there, his sword hacking fiercely at Shan-Yu's two men.

Shang prepared to defend himself as Shan-Yu roared in frustration and lunged toward him.

"Captain, where's Mulan?" Ling called out as Shang deflected a blow from the Hun leader's sword.

"In the main chamber. Go through the panel in the wall and turn right," he responded breathlessly as his sword collided with Shan-Yu's and the latter pushed forward, forcing Shang's arms back toward himself, pushing his body against him and pressing the crossed swords against his chest. It took all of the young captain's might to do it, but he gathered his strength and pushed forward, forcing his adversary away from him. He lurched forward, using the weight of his body for added strength and he pushed his enemy's arms back so that the crossed swords were now pressed against _his_ shoulder, the point of Li Kuang's sword almost scraping Shan-Yu's ear.

With a burst of energy, Shan-Yu forced Shang's arms back and lurched forward, slamming his body against him and knocking him onto the floor. His weapon went flying out of his hand and he rolled over quickly as the point of Shan-Yu's sword came toward him. He snatched up his sword and deflected the blow, then quickly raised his legs and kicked him as he came toward him again. It bought him time to stand up and regain his balance, and once more the two warriors faced each other, swords poised.

"Mulan would not like us fighting like this," the Hun leader remarked in a low, rumbling voice that came out effortlessly, as if he wasn't in the middle of a fight to the death. "But seeing as she destroyed my army I don't feel I owe it to her to spare your life just because she cares for you."

"She didn't destroy your army," Shang retorted quietly, meeting Shan-Yu's eyes firmly. "_I_ did. I was the commanding officer and I was responsible for the actions of my soldiers. She was following my orders and the decree of her Emperor to protect our country. If you're going to take your anger out on anyone, take it out on me."

"I will do what I wish with her, Commander," he responded and laughed. "I am her first and only man."

Shang felt his face grow red with embarrassment at the insinuation and his jaw tensed with fury as he faced his adversary, feet planted, sword poised. Shan-Yu's remark had caught him off guard and he struggled to quickly regain his composure. In the same way as he was studying his opponent, the Hun leader was watching him carefully, looking for physical weakness as well as his emotional vulnerability.

"My men will rescue her," Shang spoke up, wanting to turn the tables on his enemy and expose his vulnerability. "She won't be here for you to do what you wish…"

"I have men posted inside the wall, right at the entrance to her chamber. They'll stop your _men_."

There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice as he uttered the word.

"I killed your guards. None of them expected me to be inside the wall, coming from another direction, and I got them before they even knew what hit them. It was easy," he continued to taunt, using the same tactic as Shan-Yu in an attempt to throw him off balance.

"Very good, Commander," Shan-Yu laughed, unruffled. "Yes, we really could have been good friends if circumstances had been different."

For several more minutes they studied each other, neither of them making the first move. Finally they lunged toward one another at the same time.

Shan-Yu was a fierce fighter, as he'd learned from the first time that he'd been up against him in the palace; but Shang had become more familiar with his style after those first fights and he held his own now, despite the extent to which his enemy dwarfed him. Parry for parry, blow for blow, they matched each other equally and the only end that appeared to be in sight was when one of them got tired first. Otherwise this fight would no doubt end in a stalemate, with both of them collapsing from exhaustion at the same time then starting again when they'd rested.

**xxxxxxx **

Mulan jumped as the panel in the wall behind her slid open. She was not expecting Shan-Yu to come from that direction. Tears of relief nearly flooded her as she caught sight of three familiar faces.

"Are you alright, Mulan?"

She dropped the sword and rushed forward to hug her three friends, all of them now dressed in Hun uniforms.

"Are you okay?" Ling asked again.

"I'm fine. How did you know where to find me?"

"The captain told us. We almost got killed and he showed up at just the right time."

"Where is he?"

"Fighting Shan-Yu."

She snatched up her sword again, alarm sweeping through her. "We have to get to them."

"Don't worry, Mulan," Chien-Po spoke up. "The captain can handle himself. We'll deal with Shan-Yu and then we'll all get out of here."

A pang of sadness pricked her heart, but she suppressed the feeling and smiled at her friends. With a start she stopped and squinted at Ling's face, noting a spot of what looked like white powder on one side of his face. "Is that makeup on your face, Ling?"

His hand flew up to wipe it off.

"You all had makeup on!" she exclaimed, examining their faces closely, noting the leftover smudges here and there that they'd missed when trying to remove it.

"We came in disguised as concubines. Shan-Yu found us."

"I take it he wasn't fooled," she remarked, beginning to laugh as the thought of Shan-Yu encountering her three friends in dresses and makeup came to her mind. "And, Yao, you shaved your beard off."

"Well, I couldn't very well pass as a woman with a beard, could I?"

"You couldn't pass as one without a beard," Ling quipped.

"Well, good," Yao snapped at his friend.

"Where did you get the Hun uniforms?" she asked, genuinely curious and also attempting to distract them.

"There are some men that we found dead inside your wall here. They don't need the uniforms anymore and I don't know about these girls, but I certainly didn't want to run around in a dress anymore."

"Boke might have done it," she mused.

"Who's that?"

"Shan-Yu's cousin. He suspected that Boke was plotting to kill him; he's probably going after his men first."

"Or maybe the captain killed these guys. He's been moving around inside the wall."

"That's how he got to us when we were fighting Shan-Yu and two of his men."

Mulan grabbed the lantern off of her side table and moved past them, stepping into the passageway, Mushu perched on her shoulder again. "Would you be able to lead the way back to where they're fighting?"

"I think I would," Chien-Po replied.

The three men climbed back inside the wall behind her and pulled the panel shut. There were lanterns lit in places, but the light was sparse and they stumbled over the bodies that were sprawled on the floor. Finding their way to the main corridor they moved more easily through it, Chien-Po in the lead.

As they neared one of the doors along the way, they found another body sprawled on the ground. Kneeling down and shining the lantern in front of her Mulan recognized the face of Shan-Yu's cousin Boke.


	26. Missed Opportunities

A/N: Sorry for the long time between updates and thanks to all who have waited patiently and continued to read and review. And special thanks to my beta **Taulai**.

**xxxxxxx**

**Chapter 26: Missed Opportunities**

"Do you know him, Mulan?"

She nodded and placed two fingers on his neck, feeling for a pulse. "Boke. Shan-Yu's cousin. He was trying to kill Shan-Yu, but I guess one of Shan's men got to him first. No pulse."

"Shan?" Ling repeated.

Yao turned to his friend and shrugged as Mulan remained silent, realizing her slip.

"We need to get to the captain," Chien-Po warned.

Leaving the prone figure of Boke behind, Mulan and the others made their way through the passageway.

"Mulan," Ling murmured softly as he strode beside her, "we're camped on the east side of the city, in the forest. There's a stream there."

She nodded.

"In the event that the fighting gets out of hand and we all get separated, get yourself to our camp. We can meet up and regroup there."

Mulan nodded. "Okay."

She had a sinking feeling in her stomach as they hurried through the passageway as quickly as they could in the dark, worried about both Shan-Yu and Shang, and she was reminded suddenly of the pang of sadness that had needled her when Chien-Po said that they would all get out of there. Now that her three friends had come they would be expecting her to leave with them.

But she didn't really know what she wanted to do and very soon she would have to make a decision. Part of her did want to leave with her friends and try to get home, but she feared that she'd never be accepted back after everything she'd done. What kind of a life would she have there anyway? She'd failed the matchmakers test and had been declared unsuitable to be a bride; and now she'd lain with a man out of wedlock. Her dishonor was sealed by her actions with Shan-Yu, despite the fact that the physical proof of her illicit activities no longer existed.

The sound of clattering swords became clear as they reached the end of the dark corridor and Chien-Po felt along the wall for the panel that would open up and lead them out into the room. He slid it open and they stepped out into the room. It was someone's bedroom, maybe a concubine's room. There was a large bed enclosed with silk curtains and a bench at the foot of it, where Suren was perched. A separate alcove off to the side housed a make-up table and mirror.

Shan-Yu and Shang had disarmed each other and their swords lay on the ground; they now fought hand to hand, wrestling on the floor. Shang rolled them over so that he was on top, gaining the advantage, his knee pressed into Shan-Yu's chest, his hand closing around the large Hun's neck. But Shan-Yu grabbed his arm and pushed it away, attempting to remove the hand on his neck. His other hand came around and punched Shang square in the face. He took the punch fairly well, but his grip slackened and Shan-Yu was able to shove it away and gain the advantage, rolling them both over so that he was on top now.

He managed to reach his sword where it lay, snatching it up, and with his other hand he pulled him up by the collar. He brought the blade of the sword toward Shang's neck.

Barely giving it a second thought Mulan took off her slipper and threw it at Shan-Yu's head to distract him. It bounced back toward her and hit the floor with a thwack as he whirled around to face her, his grip on Shang's collar slackening.

"Mulan…" Shan-Yu spoke her name with an expulsion of air and the look that came into his eyes the moment that he saw her was one of fury and hurt; she could sense his feeling of betrayal immediately and felt her stomach lurch into her throat.

Shang took the opportunity to attempt to extract himself from Shan-Yu's deadly grip. She cringed as Shan-Yu turned back to him and slammed his head into his. Shang slumped to the floor, limp as a rag doll as Shan-Yu released him.

Setting the lantern she was holding down, she moved forward toward them. Reaching down, she scooped up the shoe that she had thrown and hurriedly slipped it back onto her bare foot.

Her three friends had their swords out already and were prepared to fight. Suren let out a loud squawk to warn his master; not that Shan-Yu needed warning. He'd stood up already and was stalking toward her; she could sense his fury simmering just below the surface.

Mulan gave him a wide berth and rushed toward Shang but he moved with lightning speed, putting his large, hulking frame before her and blocking her way to the prone captain. She feinted to one side and he lunged for her; she darted around him and ran to Shang's side.

"Shang." She knelt down and placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking him. He began to come around and she helped him to sit up. His eyes widened as he gazed past her.

She didn't have time to see what he was looking at; and Shang didn't have time to move or say a word before Shan-Yu grabbed her by the arm with such force that she thought he was going to pull it out of its socket. He yanked her to her feet then lifted her off the floor with just one hand and pulled her against him, her face mere inches from his. Her breath caught in her throat from the force of it; it was terrifying and oddly arousing all at the same time. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him to put her down and let her go; but his face was contorted into a pained look, a myriad of emotions playing across his features. A crazy thought occurred to her as she gazed into his eyes; that he looked like he was on the verge of kissing her violently. The words got stuck in her throat and she waited with held breath to see what he would do.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Shang grab his sword and stand up. There was a loud squawk from Suren, cut off by the sound of Mushu spitting fire out of his mouth. Confusion clouded her mind as Shan-Yu stared at something behind her until she turned to see what he was looking at. The silk curtain that hung around the bed had gone up in flames so quickly that no one had time to stop it. Yao, Ling and Chien-Po were trying to smother it out now and having no luck at all.

Suren looped over to his master shakily, feathers singed but otherwise no worse for wear. Mushu leaped back to her and hopped up onto her shoulder, hissing at the falcon and his master, and daring Suren to provoke him into burning him again.

Shan-Yu cursed and shoved her to the ground roughly, raising his sword to fight Shang who had approached. Mulan landed on the floor on her backside painfully and she had to fight the urge to rub it. Her eyes darted around frantically as she searched for her own sword that had slipped from her hand when Shan-Yu lifted her off the ground. She snatched it up and scrambled to her feet, putting herself between Shang and Shan-Yu.

"Mulan, get out of the way," Shang ordered.

"No. This is between him and me." She turned her head toward Shan-Yu and eyed him pointedly as she continued. "He deserves the chance to get his revenge on me."

"You were acting under my command," her former captain replied softly. "I was responsible for anything that my troops did."

She couldn't help but laugh at his concern and protectiveness of her, his willingness to take the blame for what she had done. He knew very well that she had acted on her own accord. It hadn't occurred to her that in this way he was so similar to her in nature.

"That isn't true and you know it, Shang. Besides, I'm not under your command anymore."

Shang didn't answer her and Mulan turned to face Shan-Yu bravely. He glowered at her, sword poised to strike and she prepared to defend herself. Before she could make a move toward him, large plump arms encircled her waist and to her great shock she was lifted off the ground for the second time.

"Sorry, Mulan," Chien-Po muttered and began to carry her out of the room. "It's for your own good."

**xxxxxxx **

The commander hadn't uttered a sound. Instead he'd gestured to his men with the subtlest of motions, communicating wordlessly his plan for them to grab Mulan and get out of there. Shan-Yu had been too preoccupied to notice them, an error on his part. His focus was on _her_. It had angered him that she'd immediately wanted to run to the Imperial commander's side when she saw them. She had wronged _him_. That tiny girl had caused the defeat of his army and very nearly the failure of his campaign to have revenge on the Emperor. A young innocent child that was no match for him in experience and life knowledge was now the bane of his existence. And yet a part of him still found her fascinating; an odd girl, full of passion and strangely pretty in her awkward, quirky way. For a moment when he lifted her off the ground and violently pulled her against him, bringing her face painfully close to his, he was possessed with the urge to kiss her forcefully. He wanted to throw her down onto the ground and climb on top of her; to murder her by making rough, painful love to her and sealing his ownership of her.

Thinking only of his humiliation in the mountains and his desire to retaliate against the cause of it, he was about to lunge at her when she was grabbed by the waist by that pudgy giant who moved incredibly quickly for such a rotund individual. They were backing away from him and out of the room with her before he knew it.

At first Shan-Yu followed the commander that she called Shang, the short round fellow and the thin taller one as they backed out of the room, swords poised, covering their huge Buddha-faced friend who carried the flabbergasted girl out of the room. Then something inside of him clicked somehow and made him stop. His anger was getting the better of him when what he needed was a clear head. He was outnumbered, and as good a swordsman as he was he didn't want to do anything stupid. It suddenly occurred to him that they were heading back to the bed chamber where that doctor was sleeping. He turned on his heel and headed back into the room.

The smell in the room was a sickening one, the smell of charred material. The curtains around the bed had completely disintegrated into ash and the bed itself was burning. Nothing else around the bed was flammable; once the bed had burned completely the fire would die out on its own. It didn't matter to him anymore anyway. The palace could burn to the ground for all he cared. Right now he had to deal with Mulan and her friends.

Grabbing the lantern that Mulan had left and stepping into the passageway he headed back toward the chamber where she had been sleeping, nearly tripping over the body of his cousin.

For a moment he knelt beside Boke. Relief and regret flooded him. His cousin had become a formidable opponent; but it was unfortunate that things had come to this. He'd become the Emperor of the Middle Kingdom with Boke's help; and he had no sense that his cousin's original intent was to then kill him and take the throne for himself. He was sure that came later. Sadly, he and his family had started falling into the same trap of intrigue and in-fighting that royalty was so famous for. Later, when everything was back to normal, he would give his cousin a decent and honorable burial, maybe take his body back to the steppe so his final rest was at home rather than a strange land.

Their feud had started over an issue that was a foolish one, over a girl that had felled him before he even knew her; his cousin had been right about her after all. He wondered which of his men had managed to kill Boke. Or perhaps the commander himself had done this, saving his adversary's life without realizing it, he thought with a wry smile.

Rising up again, he left his cousin behind and continued back to the bedchamber, intent on reaching that doctor before Mulan's friends did. The guards that had been patrolling the entrance to her chamber from the hidden passageway were dead. The commander hadn't been lying.

Alarm swept through him as he rushed through the small chamber and across his own, flinging open the door to the corridor. Altan and Qulan had remained at their posts, unharmed, and he released a soft sigh of relief. These were two of his best and most loyal soldiers; he didn't want to lose them.

"The commander is on his way here with the girl and the three intruders. They're on their way to get that medic. We need to get to him first."

They nodded wordlessly and followed him to the next chamber where the doctor was sleeping.

**xxxxxxx **

The shadow of the monastery to the east of the Imperial Square kept them hidden from sight yet they still had a clear view of the square and the palace. Shang had apparently communicated to them, without words somehow, to forcefully remove her from the palace and Shan-Yu's path and then wait for him to appear with Dr. Kong.

"It was the captain's instruction, Mulan," Chien-Po explained softly. "And it was for the best. I don't know why you wanted to let yourself come to harm."

He looked genuinely sorry about it. Knowing that she had friends who cared that deeply for her was a pleasant surprise. But at the same time she resented this bunch of men that thought they knew what was best for her. She was especially ticked off at Chien-Po for picking her up and carrying her out. And when she saw Shang again she was going to kill him. How dare he take things into his own hands and make decisions about her own life, as if she was still his subordinate? Why couldn't they understand that she _wanted_ to have a confrontation with Shan-Yu? It was her right after everything that had gone on between them. And he, too, deserved an explanation from her; and a chance to confront her and avenge his army if that was what he needed to do.

And now these guys had gone and interfered with everything.

She felt deprived, as if an opportunity that she desperately needed had been taken away from her; even though she knew they meant well. With a sigh of frustration she stood up and moved away from them. The three men eyed her and Ling stood up to follow her. Rolling her eyes she plunked herself down on the ground a few feet away from them and sat there brooding.

Poor Shan-Yu. He would be left wondering about her, where she came from and what the hell she was doing in the army. She wished she could explain that all she'd wanted was to save her father's life; and instead she'd hurt so many people by her actions, starting with her own family.

_They must be so heartbroken_.

Hot tears came to her eyes as she thought it.

The expression on Shan-Yu's face when he saw her was burned into her brain. He'd looked so betrayed, so hurt. She wanted to tell him why she'd been there; it wouldn't change the fact that she'd killed off his army. But he would understand.

Or maybe he was too angry to even care why.

Her heart hurt for him. In an odd way she would miss him if she never got to see him again. She was accustomed to his presence now, to the sound of his voice and his low, rumbling laugh. To the closeness of his body and the way it felt when he touched her. She closed her eyes with a sigh as her mind conjured up those moments and the sensations flooded her body's sense memory.

"Mulan?"

Mushu had come to sit beside her and he spoke up now, interrupting her thoughts.

It probably was for the better that she was away from him. She wasn't herself anymore due to his existence in her life. But she hated her friends in that moment for forcing the choice on her.

She opened her eyes and shifted her gaze to the little dragon.

"I'll say it again. I really worry about you, Mulan. But you're lucky. These are really good friends that you have. They were willing to risk pissing you off forever in order to get you out of there and away from him."

She remained silent, acknowledging her guardian with a dip of her head but not responding.

"They were all concerned about you, even old Shang."

"They had no right to make a decision for me."

"Mulan, they were preventing you from letting yourself come to harm."

"They were so sure that I couldn't take on Shan-Yu? Even if Shang is too pig-headed to realize that I'm capable of handling myself, I thought at least those guys would know better."

"It's not that they didn't think you could handle yourself. You're very self-destructive these days and that's what they were worried about."

"That's ridiculous," she snapped indignantly, staring at him through narrowed eyes.

She sighed and turned away from him, gazing at the palace again in peevish silence.

"Shang's been in there for a long time, Mushu," she changed the subject abruptly when she finally spoke. "We should be in there helping him, not outside waiting. I'm sure that Shan-Yu knew he was headed to Dr. Kong's room and intercepted him. Shang underestimates him."

"It would seem that he wants to die, too," her guardian murmured with a sad sigh.

Mulan eyed him, frowning unhappily.

"Maybe I should leave you alone," he offered upon seeing her disapproving glance.

"No, you don't have to leave, Mushu," she pleaded, her expression softening. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you."

"I know, baby."

"Stay with me."

His webbed palm closed around her hand comfortingly. "You got it."

**xxxxxxx **

Shang pulled Dr. Kong through the panel in the wall that he'd found earlier that evening.

"I don't understand, Captain. Where is Mulan?"

The captain gestured for him to keep his voice down.

"Chien-Po and the others got her out of the palace," he whispered. "They're waiting for us at the monastery off of the square. Stay quiet and wait in here. Shan-Yu and his men are on the way here. I'm sure of that. I'll take care of them and as soon as it's clear we can get out of here and join them."

"Mulan should not be running around after her incident. She should be resting."

Shang pushed away the twinge of concern at his words. "She's with her friends. It will be alright."

"Captain, maybe you should just wait here with me instead of fighting those men by yourself. When they leave we can escape, without a confrontation." He eyed Shang closely when he didn't answer. "Fighting isn't always wise, especially when your sole purpose for battle is revenge. That never turns out well."

"Keep yourself hidden," Shang repeated, ignoring the medic's advice. "If anything happens to me wait until they leave the room and get yourself out of here."

Dr. Kong seized his arm urgently.

"Listen to me, Captain Li. This is a no-win situation. You've fought Shan-Yu several times now. You've all been in and out of this palace many times, accomplishing nothing. We came here to get Mulan out safely and you've done that now. Let it go. There will be another day to fight. You can take the time needed to gather your forces and formulate a solid plan that will succeed. And to make sure that you're fighting for the right reason."

"You don't understand…"

"Killing Shan-Yu won't revive the dead. I know about your father, son. I'm very sorry. But killing or getting yourself killed certainly won't bring him back."

Shang sighed. "But I'll be with him. And I won't have to live with everything that I've failed at."

"You think that you're completely responsible for the fact that Shan-Yu came into power?"

"I…" he trailed off and heaved a frustrated sigh.

"If that's what you think then you're very foolish."

"I've done so many things wrong. And I treated Mulan badly…and now…she seems to be completely attached to that…that…"

"Then you're jealous? You want to kill him because you think she loves him?"

"N-No…I…"

The soft thud of footsteps cut off his words and Dr. Kong quickly slid the panel closed before Shang had a chance to leap out and face Shan-Yu.

"We'll wait here then?" he asked now that the two of them were sealed inside the wall.

"No," Shang lowered his voice to a whisper. "He knows to come in here. We need to keep moving. My father taught me how to navigate these passageways. If we can make our way down to the level where the servants sleep we can slip out unseen. Come on."


	27. Strategy

**Chapter 27: Strategy **

Mulan didn't know what route Shang used to escape with the doctor. She'd been watching the Imperial Square, expecting them to come from there. But instead they'd appeared from behind them, from inside of the temple. Was there a tunnel that somehow came out there from the palace? General Li had been the former Emperor's most trusted officer. Perhaps he knew his way around all of those hidden passages and passed the information along to Shang.

There were teams of Hun soldiers scouring the square and the alleyways, possibly searching for them. They remained hidden inside the temple until the streets began to clear, then made their way out of the city. They walked along the road to their camp quietly, save for the tongue-lashing that Mulan gave Shang for ordering Chien-Po to pick her up and take her out of the palace, without even giving her the choice to walk by herself. Dr. Kong and her three friends walked hurriedly, putting themselves several steps in front of the arguing pair and leaving them alone to bicker.

"I can't believe that you wanted to stay with him," Shang muttered, annoyed. "And I knew you did. You wouldn't have left on your own."

"You don't know what I would or wouldn't have done," she snapped.

He sighed. "I know that things changed after you were pregnant with his baby."

Her hand flew up before she could control the impulse and she smacked him in the mouth. She was about to storm away from him but he seized her arm and stopped her. He grasped her shoulder with his other hand as she turned to face him, glaring angrily into his eyes.

"Mulan, I was just worried about you. It wasn't safe for you there…what if Shan-Yu discovered who you really were…?"

She fell silent, not wanting him to know that he had.

"I'm sorry for the remark I made just before," he murmured softly. "I seem to have a knack for saying all the wrong things to you."

"That's for sure."

A pained look came into his eyes and she felt a twinge of concern for him. He really wasn't a bad guy. She cared for him still and even considered him a friend despite their short but dramatic history together.

"My father was killed at the hands of that man," Shang was saying. "I just…I don't understand…"

Neither did she, but she couldn't tell him that.

"Shang, he has his side of the story. I'm truly sorry about your father, really I am…but we were invaders, too. His wife was killed. It doesn't change the fact that his army destroyed ours, taking your father with him…but…I'm not wrong because I recognize him as a human being."

His jaw dropped slightly.

"Because of him my father was conscripted to go into the army…and because of that…well, you know everything else. Nothing is black and white," she added with a sigh and almost burst into laughter as the words came out. It was something that Shan-Yu had said to her. He really had made a deep impression on her.

There was inexplicable sadness in Shang's eyes and she extricated her arm from his grip and reached up, placing her hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

"Do you remember what you said to us in the mountains? _'Prepare to fight. If we die, we die with honor.'_ You used the word 'if'. But given our circumstances, a small band of foot soldiers surrounded by an entire army, with only one cannon, it seemed inevitable. And you were prepared for it, because it's part of war and being a soldier. You were willing to die with honor trying to defend your Emperor. Do you think your father was any different? I'm sure he knew every time he went into battle that this could be the time that he gave his life."

"Not in the end he didn't," Shang muttered cynically. "He was too arrogant."

"Somewhere inside of him he still knew. And he was willing; it was part of the life of a soldier, an Imperial general. He died honorably, serving his Emperor and trying to protect his country and the people he loved."

Almost the same words her father had spoken the last night she was at home. A lump began to form in her throat and she swallowed hard, attempting to force it back.

"Mulan…you risked your life for me. Why did you do that…if you wanted to be with him?"

She was almost relieved when he made the stupid remark. It irked her enough that she forgot about her sadness.

"What does one thing have to do with the other? I consider you a friend, Shang, and I care about your well-being."

"Do you love him, Mulan?"

"No."

He raised an eyebrow. Did he not believe her? She'd answered quickly, not because she was denying it but because it was the simple truth.

"I don't want to talk about it." She heaved a sad sigh. "I don't even understand why it matters to you."

His next words were whispered, barely audible as he bowed his head and stared at his feet. "It just does."

A thick silence descended on them, making her squirm, and she spoke up quickly.

"We should catch up to the others," she commented as she glanced toward her friends, who were so far ahead now that all she could see were blurry figures in the darkness. They needed to catch up, and she needed to end this uncomfortable conversation that had so strangely and suddenly morphed from an argument into a raw honest conversation that had peaked with a near-confession from him.

He released his grasp on her and they both hurried forward to join their comrades.

A group of men from Dr. Kong's village were gathered in the forest to the east of Chang'an, a small fire lit in the center of the circle made by their tents. They were all from the village where she'd met Bi and Dr. Kong. Shang quietly indicated that they needed to camp without a fire and snuffed it quickly.

"If a team of soldiers comes looking for us, they'll be drawn right to the firelight."

"Maybe we should move off now and head home," Gao suggested. "If the Hun army is so interested in us, or Mulan, they'll come after us anyway, but we'll be easier to track by day than at night."

"No, we can't," Dr. Kong spoke up quickly.

"What? Why not?"

"Well, Mulan should stay here. And I will remain with her. She needs to rest."

Several pairs of eyes were fixed on her now, looking her up and down, and she felt her face flush. Apparently everyone had heard about her.

"She can rest back in the village," someone spoke up. "Bi knows her. I'm sure she'd let her stay there."

"No, I mean she shouldn't travel so far. Do you realize what she's been through? Her body needs to recuperate. She cannot go hiking through the mountains to our village and she certainly can't be bumped around on a horse."

Shang sighed. "I agree, but I really don't think we should risk staying here. We need to put distance between us and the city. And I think she would be better off if we got her someplace where she could rest, inside instead of in the middle of a forest."

"Maybe…if we moved slowly…" Chien-Po suggested hesitantly. "Mulan is the only one here with a horse. The rest of us will be on foot."

Now a larger group of men was deciding what was best for her, she thought irritably.

"What makes you all think that the Hun army is going to be so interested in me?" Mulan finally demanded, interrupting them.

"If Shan-Yu knows about you…"

"He's not going to admit it to anyone, certainly not to his subordinates. Besides, I'll be fine. You don't need to treat me like an invalid. Khan senses when I'm in pain and he'll stop if he detects any problem. Or I'll walk."

Mushu would look after her as well, but she didn't mention him to them.

She moved off away from them and sought out the faithful black steed where he grazed near the stream. He looked up and neighed softly, delighted to see his mistress again. She patted his nose and stroked his coat affectionately. The large horse butted her with his head, expressing his gratitude. So glad to be reunited with her he even seemed to be tolerant of Mushu's presence.

"Shang rode him after he escaped from the palace the first time. That's how he got back to the Tung Shao Pass to meet the others," Mushu informed her. "I think he used your stuff, too."

"Well, I don't care, I wasn't using it. Although I don't really see how comfortable he could have been sleeping in my tiny tent. He's a little too big."

"Khan got a little uppity when we first approached him, but I explained that we were trying to help you and he calmed down."

Glancing at him sideways, she grinned in amusement. She loved Mushu; he had become a true friend that genuinely cared about her well-being. He had changed too, as much as she had. Once a lovable but self-serving creature with his own agenda who tried to use her to accomplish his own goals, Mushu had now become a more serious and responsible guardian who was dedicated to protecting her. But a bit of the old, self-centered and pompous little dragon remained. He was somewhat clumsy still, just as she had been at one time; and he was often the cause of accidents and near-disasters. Of course, sometimes good things came out of his bumbling, such as the bed catching on fire in the palace after he tried to singe Suren. Then there were other times.

She sighed and gave Khan a final pat on the nose.

"We should get back to the others. Don't want them to think I'm anti-social."

Dr. Kong frowned at her as she approached, leading Khan along.

"I'll be fine," she reassured him.

He shook his head and sighed, doubt and worry painted on his face.

"You're not fully recovered and I don't like this," he answered finally. "It's foolish. Still, what can I do? You're a grown woman and can make your own choice. Alright, but I'm going to keep a close eye on you. If you start to bleed again we're stopping immediately and I won't let you travel any further."

Camp was packed up and Mulan prepared to mount Khan as everyone readied themselves to move out. Shang came up to stand beside her and she whirled around to face him.

"Mulan…I…um…let me know if you're in pain. We'll stop so you can rest and Dr. Kong can treat you," he told her softly.

He patted her shoulder, in the same way that he had when they were soldiers and he thought she was Ping. She smiled warmly at him then turned to mount her steed.

"Let me help you," he offered, giving her a leg up so she wouldn't have to exert herself as much.

"Thank you, Shang."

They set off at a slow hike, traveling along the main road, back toward the mountains.

**xxxxxxx**

Finding the room empty he had sent Altan and Qulan to gather the others. Search teams were organized, guards were placed at all entrances to the palace and each entry point into the hidden passageways. Shan-Yu now stood on the balcony overlooking the square, his mood dark, brooding. The exercise was futile and he knew it would be even before his men returned to him with an update. That commander knew his way around those passageways better than he did.

"We didn't find them, in the passageways or the corridors. A group of men is scouting the square."

"They're gone," he answered, the anger and frustration simmering just beneath the surface.

"It's possible they're still in the area."

"No. I'm sure they've left the city."

"And the girl?"

"Her too. They took her out of here with them."

The Hun leader turned on his heel and beckoned for his three comrades to follow him inside.

"Let them go. There are more important things to do. Boke's gone but we must weed out his accomplices. And there is much work to be done. I have plans."

With a clicking of his tongue he called his falcon to him. Batu, Altan and Qulan accompanied him to his chambers where he discussed his strategic ideas and gave them instructions. Then he withdrew paper, ink and a brush and began to write a message while Suren waited patiently on his shoulder. At least there was one good thing that came out of his family living so close to the border and the Chinese; he'd learned how to read and write, something he'd come to greatly appreciate. Thinking over his words carefully, he composed an appropriate letter to Chakha, the leader of one of the larger and more powerful tribes of the steppe. As was the case with many of the wiser leaders, Chakha had learned the ways of the Chinese as well as their spoken and written language.

After the ink had dried he tied the letter to the bird's leg and sent him off with it. Then he stood up and began to pace, pondering his next moves. It would take time for his falcon to get to the north, as swift as Suren was, and even longer for Chakha to pass along the message to the other tribe leaders of the area, especially if it was to arrive in the farthest reaches of the northern steppe.

He was the Emperor of China now. And if he could unite the tribes of the north and make them part of his empire it would become a powerful one indeed.

As for the girl…she was unique, there was no denying that. He would miss her passion, the intelligence behind her eyes and every word she spoke, the sensual curiosity that he didn't find in the more experienced women he lay with. But as Emperor he could have anyone he wanted and he now lived in a palace filled with concubines, the only residents of the palace that had been unable to flee after the assassination of the former Emperor. Councilmen, servants and many of the other residents had run off and escaped, knowing that in the aftermath they would be killed too.

His wife had been a mystic, with a deep involvement in all things spiritual. Clever and intelligent like Mulan, Ibakha spoke with the aura of a sage at times about everything in the universe being connected and having a purpose that they didn't necessarily comprehend on the level of their small everyday lives. Had she been there with him now she might have remarked that he met Mulan for a reason, and the point of that meeting hadn't reached its full fruition yet. And he did have an odd feeling that someday he would run into her again by some strange chance.

One day maybe he would find out what the hell she was doing in the Imperial army.

Shan-Yu was still pacing restlessly in deep thought when Batu returned to his chamber a short time later.

"Many of the men that we knew were Boke's accomplices have been killed, not by us. I'm not sure who succeeded in…"

"I believe it was our guest, the Imperial commander," Shan-Yu answered with a gruff laugh. "He did us a favor, whether he knew it or not."

"Yes. Unfortunate that we lost a few of our own close comrades. A heavy blow, especially after losing so many in the mountains."

"All's fair in love and war," he remarked cynically. "Our army was destroyed there…by a child that had been brought up to serve the Emperor and knew nothing more than that. A soldier doing their duty, in the midst of a battle."

A melancholy sigh escaped from his lips and his master archer and councilman stared at him quizzically.

"Yes," Batu began hesitantly, reluctant to risk saying the wrong thing to his leader when he was in such a darkly morose and potentially volatile mood. He steered the subject back to strategy. "So far our men have been managing to interact with the local governments peacefully."

Shan-Yu halted his pacing abruptly and turned to him.

"And we will continue to do so. For a long time I've been a man of violence. But you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, as I've learned recently. We may have more clout with the use of peace instead of force, especially if we're shrewd. There have been other non-Chinese and mixed blood leaders before, including the one that we recently dispatched with. Those leaders adopted the ways of the Chinese and infiltrated themselves into the country that way. Much more subtle but very successful. Invade without letting them know they're being invaded. And that's the strategy that we'll use to ensure our stronghold here."

"What about that girl…"

Shan-Yu cut him off curtly. "She's gone with the rest of them. That commander wanted to rescue her; and he succeeded. No point in dwelling on the past. There is the future to look to. If all goes as planned, Batu, we will have a very powerful empire. My day is still to come."

**xxxxxxx**

The journey was long given their snail's pace, but they plodded on day by day, finally beginning to ascend the mountains after several days of traveling. Shang stayed close by Mulan as the group traveled, deeply concerned about her as he noticed how tired she looked, how her face grew paler with each passing day. Dr. Kong had been right; she'd been through too much. The miscarriage and that tea she drank that had brought it on had taken a heavy toll on her, both physically and psychologically. Often, after they had made camp for the night, he watched her as she wandered off alone. Her three friends commented on it and were worried about her too. On many occasions Shang followed her and encountered her weeping, the little red dragon perched beside her trying to comfort her.

They stopped for the night under a thick clump of trees and made camp. Dr. Kong spread down a blanket and urged her to lie down while he checked her for fever. Shang went to sit beside her while the doctor brewed an odd-smelling tea over the campfire for her. Mushu climbed out of her sleeve and hopped down her leg. Perching himself at the edge of the blanket, he peered at Shang, watching him closely. Probably making sure he didn't insult his baby.

The captain turned his attention from the little red dragon to the ill young woman.

"Are you comfortable? Is there anything I can get you?"

"No. Thank you."

"I'll start keeping an eye out for a village. Dr. Kong is right, you need to stop traveling."

Annoyance flitted across her features but she said nothing, too weary to argue probably.

"Where is your home, Mulan?"

"My home?"

"Well, yes, you are going to return home, aren't you?"

"I wasn't planning on it at this point. Even if I wanted to, I can't. My family will never accept me back after what I've done."

"Mulan, what you did…it was honorable and noble…I should think that your father would be proud of you, honored to have a filial daughter. And very glad to see you again, alive and well."

"I don't share your optimistic opinion," she muttered dejectedly.

She brought a hand up to her face and angrily rubbed at one eye, then the other.

"What about you? Are you planning to go home?"

He sighed. "I don't know. There's no one there anymore. Just servants."

"Oh."

"Besides, I don't like the idea of that man being in power. Even if he is trying to do a good job, I don't trust him. I won't act right away. But I plan to gather a group of good men and train them. If Shan-Yu changes his tune and becomes the tyrant that I know he is, I want to be prepared to move against him."

"Revenge?"

"No."

"With just a small army?"

"It can be done. I came up with an idea when I was escaping with Dr. Kong."

"I was wondering about that. We were expecting you to come from somewhere in the Imperial Square. But you came from behind that temple, which is in no way connected to the palace."

He nodded. "The passageways. They don't just run within the walls; they go underground too, to other buildings in the area."

"Did you spend a lot of time in the palace when you were little, that you know so much about the inner passageways?"

"Not that much. But my father did and he told me how to navigate them. I found the way out to that temple by accident. I was leading Dr. Kong down to the lower levels, where the servants were, hoping to find a way out. We found a tunnel and followed it. It led us down to the dungeon and into one of the cells. A prisoner must have dug their way out at one time; we found his route and came out at the temple."

She stared up at him in astonishment. "And that's how you'll plan to get back in?"

"Exactly. But not right away. Dr. Kong suggested that I bide my time. Make my move when the time is right and I have a force prepared."

"It's a good idea. But keep in mind that Shan-Yu is shrewd and intelligent. He knows about those passageways and I'm sure he realizes that an enemy could get in and move around. He may already be working on closing them off."

**xxxxxxx**

A/N: I'm estimating one or two more chapters to go, but I may end up having to make this a two part story since it's already epic length.


	28. Endings and Beginnings

A/N: For those readers who are not familiar with it, _koumiss_ is the fermented mare's milk, a traditional drink of the steppe nomads.

**xxxxxxx **

**Chapter 28: Endings and Beginnings **

As he waited on the balcony overlooking the square Shan-Yu managed a small smile when he caught sight of Suren soaring toward him. The message had reached its first intended recipient. Now it was just a matter of time before the other leaders joined him, making theirs a vast Empire.

They wouldn't all move southward necessarily. Many of the nomads would stay where they lived rather. Or they would continue to raid the villages just over the border for badly needed resources that had been taken from them and then retreat back north. Though they all moved from place to place as the seasons changed, there was still a strong connection to the land of the northern steppe.

He sighed wistfully. It had been years since he lived that life, having been a soldier on a mission for so long now. But he had to admit that he missed it all; the sweeping grasslands of their summer camp, carting everything by horse to their autumn camp and back again, rebuilding their lives anew with every new season, the simple life of herding sheep and keeping the small, swift black horses that were the pride of his people. It had been years since he enjoyed a batch of koumiss with friends and family. There were more important supplies for the army to keep on hand. It was not plausible to lug along a supply of koumiss.

Suren swooped around and set down lightly on the ledge of the balcony. A small folded note was tied to a leg which he raised and held out to his master. Shan-Yu untied it and opened it, stroking his faithful falcon's head absentmindedly as he read Chakha's response.

With a broad grin he refolded the message and patted Suren's head once more before signaling him to follow him inside. He turned and went off to summon Batu, Altan and Qulan and let them know that his plan was already in motion.

**xxxxxxx **

Bi's tavern was warm and comfortable and they sat at one of the tables drinking hot tea and conversing.

The rain fell heavily and for the first time since they'd left Chang'an Shang was thankful that they'd allowed Mulan to travel for so many weeks, as tired and pale as she'd appeared. If they had remained in their camp east of the Imperial City, she would have been sleeping outside in this weather, no doubt growing gravely ill. And they had found no village along the way where she could stop. They'd had to press on.

It had been a slow, tough journey, but they'd made it to Bi's tavern that morning, before the weather took a turn for the worse. She put the men up in the house behind the tavern. Mulan was given a room upstairs. The rest of the rooms had to be kept available for business.

Shang shifted uncomfortably as he thought of it and of Mulan being there. He shook it off and turned his attention back to his companions.

"We may bring on more problems than we already have," Chien-Po commented. "Even if we get rid of Shan-Yu, who will lead the country? We'll have chaos."

"Surely the former Emperor had family. They must have fled into hiding when the Huns arrived in the Imperial City and the Emperor was killed. The trick is finding them again and restoring their place on the throne."

"That may be more difficult than you think, Captain Li," Gao spoke up. "There are rumors from villages near the northern border of more nomads infiltrating China."

Shang shook his head in amazement, marveling at the amount of information that passed from village to village. No Imperial messengers would come anymore; the envoys from Chang'an were all Hun soldiers who came to converse with the local leaders on behalf of Shan-Yu. Information then trickled down to the people, haphazardly and most likely censored. Yet somehow these men in the tavern had heard about activity at the border, through some network of their own. He was certain that the Hun soldiers hadn't told the prefects that more of them would be coming to the Middle Kingdom. How had these rumors started?

"I believe that's a good place to start anyway," he mused, pushing the question aside for now. "We can set up a base near the border. If the rumors are true about more incursions from the north, maybe we can stop the flow of Huns into our land. We'll gather as many good men as we can and I'll train them. If we can pick off the additional invaders little by little, maybe we can discourage more from coming in. And then, when the time is right and we've built up our forces, we can march on the capital and oust Shan-Yu."

"That's an ambitious plan," Mulan interjected from the next table where she sat with Bi. They had been speaking in hushed tones for a long time and Shang didn't even think they had been listening to his conversation with Gao and the three soldiers from his former regiment.

"You disagree then?" he asked defensively, turning to her.

She shook her head. "It's not that. Right now I think Shan-Yu is doing a good job as leader; he's kept peace and he's ruling wisely. But I'm as concerned as you are about these rumors of incursions from over the border. More invaders could mean serious violence, whether they are here by his invitation or not. Stopping them is an immediate priority. But marching on the capital is another story. You will need to build up a strong force before endeavoring it and that will take time."

"And patience. I know it, and I'm prepared."

"There are other rumors, too. Rumors that a small regiment of the Emperor's army survives," Mulan continued.

Shang gawked at her. How did _she_ know that?

"We were just discussing it," she answered his unasked question, indicating Bi with a nod of her head.

"Where did _you_ hear about it?" he asked the tavern-keeper in astonishment.

"I have varied clientele here, Captain. And they don't worry about what they say to me or to my girls. The regiment is said to be somewhere near the northern border as well, hidden in one of those villages no doubt."

"Unbelievable," he muttered to himself.

These last few months had certainly been an education for him, in more ways than one, but especially when it came to women. His entire view of them had been turned on its head thanks to Mulan. He would never again think of a woman the way his father spoke of them, as an object for a man to possess or as a silent, helpless and obedient slave that would just do as she was told.

Mulan had inner strength and resilience that he'd never seen in himself or any man for that matter. He couldn't imagine the pain that she'd had to bear lately, and yet she hadn't fallen to pieces because of it. She'd kept her wits at all times, helped him when he needed it and continued to do what she believed was right. Even if he didn't agree with her viewpoint or her actions, he had to admire the way she wouldn't ever back down. And she'd saved his life again, nearly at the cost of her own, to prevent Shan-Yu from harming him.

And now here was this other woman, with a very questionable background and livelihood, who not only knew about the existence of a surviving regiment of the Imperial army but also of their probable location. An older yet still very lovely woman who probably seduced information like that out of the officers who frequented her place as artfully as any soldier could wield a sword.

He would never again judge anyone by their gender.

"And what about the Emperor's family? They will be in hiding somewhere if they survived. But finding them will be another story."

"Agreed," Shang conceded. "But we can worry about that later. The first priority is to stop the influx of more Hun soldiers. If we can seal off our border, that will be half the battle right there."

"What about you, Mulan?" Yao asked. "What do you plan to do?"

"For now I'm under strict doctor's orders to stay here and rest. If I'm to help you, I'm afraid it will have to be at a later time."

"I hope you will wait until this bad weather passes, Captain," Gao spoke up again. "It will do you no good to travel in this."

"We should get new clothes, too," Ling suggested. "So we're not suspected of being soldiers."

Shang nodded. "We'd be better off traveling as thieves."

He turned to Mulan, turning over a thought in his mind. If she was joining them later it would mean that she would be traveling alone. She could take care of herself, but still…

"I have a guardian," she stated simply, as if she knew what he was thinking as he stared at her.

"Well, we'll be here for a little while," he responded softly, nodding at her. "Gao is right. We should wait until the bad weather passes."

**xxxxxxx **

Her guardian attempted to comfort her once again as they sat together in the dark outside of the tavern. Everyone was inside and asleep but she was too restless to lie still and memories of her past actions plagued her. She didn't know what was wrong with her or why she was so moody. Sometimes she wept for no reason at all these days and her nerve endings felt frayed.

According to Dr. Kong, it was because of the Dong Quai tea. He had been trying to counteract its effect with a "calming" beverage; but she was actually feeling somewhat nauseous that evening after downing three cups of the good doctor's revolting tea, at his insistence. That concoction had been part of her daily diet ever since they left Chang'an, even in the wilderness where he brewed it nightly over their campfires. And she wasn't feeling any calmer.

"No one blames you, Mulan."

"I know they don't. But I know the truth, Mushu."

"What truth? You were a prisoner and you acted the way you did because of that. I don't know about all the men from the village that tagged along, but your three friends understand and don't blame you. They care about you. Even Shang cares for you more than he'd like to admit. I think he has feelings for you…"

He trailed off as she frowned at him.

"No spark anymore for your captain?"

Mulan shook her head. Though she still thought Shang was the most handsome man she'd ever met, she no longer felt the same stirring in her body that she used to when she looked at him or was close to him.

"I don't think so," she answered. "Funny, isn't it? I was crazy about him and he didn't know who I really was, that I was even a woman. Now the feeling is gone, and you think Shang has feelings for me, when it's too late. I never knew that love was such a funny thing."

"It sure is."

"Well, I don't know what Shang's feelings are but it doesn't matter; whatever my feelings would be, I can never be a part of his world. Thanks to the Dong Quai tea and the fact that I miscarried in front of him, there's no doubt in his mind that Shan-Yu and I…"

"Yeah, yeah, I was there. I don't need you to elaborate."

"A traditional guy like Shang could never accept me after that; after another man had me. Don't all men like to be in first?"

Mushu's jaw dropped nearly to the ground, shocked that his baby had grown so wise in the ways of the world to make such a remark, and she couldn't help but scoff slightly in amusement. It was a sad, wistful sound that hardly qualified as a laugh.

"He could never get past something like that, even if he believed that I was forced. And why should he? Besides, I don't know that I would be happy even if he did want me," she continued. "I really had a thing for him before. But now, after everything that's happened…even if he could live with me, I don't think I could live with myself."

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't know," she sighed.

"What about Shan-Yu?"

"What about him?"

"Well, it was obvious you felt something…"

"It was different."

"Different than Shang?"

"Yes…Mushu, I don't want to talk about this anymore. It's late, too late for a lot of things."

Mushu fell silent and turned to stare out into the distance, his reptilian features becoming sad. She opened her mouth to speak but faltered, almost afraid. He sensed her hesitation and turned to face her.

"Everyone thinks that I was forced and that it wasn't my fault. But I know different. I know that a part of me wanted it. Things weren't so cut and dry. I am to blame; at least a little bit. And I have to take responsibility for that part of it. For many different things. I've really hurt a lot of people."

Her guardian sighed heavily. "I wish you weren't so down on yourself, Mulan. Could you have resisted more against the big Hun? Probably. But under the circumstances that you were faced with…maybe it wasn't that easy. Besides, what you said to Shang was absolutely right. Everything is Shan-Yu's fault when you think about it."

"I didn't say that."

"But you wouldn't have had to go into the army in your father's place if he hadn't attacked."

"True," she answered with a sigh. "Maybe things were meant to be this way."

"See? So it's not all your fault."

"Maybe. Still. I've hurt so many people. My father…my family. I broke their hearts."

"Then go home and try to make it right."

"I can't," she whispered.

She brought a hand to her eyes and dabbed at the corners where the tears had begun to collect. He leaped up and perched himself on her shoulder in his usual manner. A ghost of a smile flitted across her face as she felt him begin to stroke her hair lightly.

"You don't even want to try?"

"I'm so different now. I can't imagine ever going home. Even though it was purely by accident, I became a decent soldier. It's actually something I can do right, sort of," she added with another half-hearted snicker.

"So, you're going to help Shang and the others then?"

"Yes, as soon as Dr. Kong finally concedes that I'm just fine. Not the way a woman usually serves her country, but at least in some odd way I can do what's right. I think that Shan-Yu really is acting as a wise leader; but I worry about the additional incursions from the north. I have no doubt that he invited them. That could signal the building of a vast army on his part, and things could take a turn for the worse with that. It's a good thing they're leaving soon. And I will be heading to the northern border and Shang's base as soon as I'm able to travel again. You'll come with me?"

"Of course! If you can't go home, neither can I."

"Sorry."

"Nah, don't worry. I'm your guardian. It's my job to look after you. And who knows? In my opinion you're already a heroine, though unrecognized. If events go the way I think they will, I may get you recognition yet!"

Real laughter escaped her for what seemed the first time in a long while.

"I see you haven't lost track of your agenda, Mushu," she teased. "And at least you forgive me."

"It's not up to me, or anyone else, to forgive you. But maybe one day you'll forgive yourself."

**xxxxxxx **

Her three comrades wished her well as they prepared to leave and hugged her goodbye, Chien-Po catching them all up in a bear hug again.

"We hope that we'll see you soon, Mulan."

"Me, too."

Shang approached her when they broke apart and the three other men moved off. She turned to him, wanting to embrace him too, her friend. Her arms began to open and she started to lean in; but she found that she was worried that he would take it the wrong way and stopped herself. In that instant she suddenly realized that his movements had mirrored hers. He paused, his arms still open, then let them drop to his side. Clearing his throat, he uncomfortably shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

"Mulan, you need to recover," he began finally. "But when Dr. Kong says you're better…if you wish to...we would be glad to have you join us."

"I'd like to. Then you would want me, a woman, as part of your army?"

"You're one of the bravest, most skilled soldiers I've ever known. I would be honored to fight alongside of you again."

She couldn't help but smile at him. His words were spoken with complete sincerity.

Shang surprised her then by making the first move, taking her hand firmly. He leaned in and draped an arm around her loosely. She responded, encircling her arm around his waist. His other hand released hers and that arm closed around her. He tightened the embrace and she responded. The hug was warm and genuine, comforting.

As relieved as she was to be alone for a time, pangs of grief tugged at her heart as she watched Shang and her three other friends head off. She swallowed hard, attempting to force back the lump that formed in her constricted throat. A slim figure turned and waved at her from the end of the street and she smiled broadly as she raised her hand and waved back at Ling. The knot in her throat began to dissipate as she told herself there was nothing to be sad about. She would see her friends again soon enough.

With a deep sigh, she turned and walked back into Bi's tavern.

**END OF PART 1 **

**xxxxxxx **

A/N: I've decided to make this a multi-part story since it's already very long. Part 2 will be a separate fic and I will add a chapter here for those of you who have been getting alerts to advise when I've posted. Thanks to all who took the time to read this and for the lovely reviews and encouragement. And I can't say thanks enough to **Taulai** who beta'd for me and helped me through my extremely difficult moments of writer's block.


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